


The Omega Problem

by Fantine_Black



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Attempted Sexual Assault, Boss/Employee Relationship, Charles Always Says the Absolute Worst Thing He Could Possibly Say, Courtship, Dinner, Discrimination, Erik Being Cocky, Extremely Dubious Consent, F/M, First Kiss, Forced Prostitution, Fuck Or Die, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Knotting, M/M, Manipulation, Masturbation in Shower, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Medicinal Drug Use, Misunderstandings, Multi, Office Sex, Omega Charles, Post-Prison, Power Imbalance, Relationship Negotiation, Slut Shaming, Smitten Erik, Social Issues, Stripping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-24
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-01-04 22:06:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12177438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fantine_Black/pseuds/Fantine_Black
Summary: Everybody knows that the rules and protections in the Omega Act of 2002 are a complete joke. Quite right, too: omegas in the workplace are a distraction at best and a hazard at worst. If they must work - temporarily, of course! - they must be responsible about it - or face the consequences.As Charles Xavier, an omega far too clever for his own good, learns when working for one Erik Lehnsherr.





	1. Office party

**Author's Note:**

> There is no fixed update schedule for this, but if you want more, I might find the time somewhere. If I do, pairings and tags will be updated along the way.

That moment when everything went a second too fast.

“Damn, Charlie boy –”

“Look at you all hot and bothered – ”

He swallowed. “Guys, that’s not funny –”

“I’m not laughing.” Ororo put a hand on his crotch. “C’mere, baby, I’ll take care of you –”

“Stop!” He pushed her back with a swing of his arm, but then only felt more hands on him, pulling back his arms, yanking at his hair. “I’m not in heat, you wankers, fucking stop!”

“Baby likes it rough.” That was Logan. “C’mon, Chuck, I’ll give you something to suck on…” He pulled his head down to his crotch, and somebody else – Azazel? – was pushing his hands down his pants, kneading his arse and o God was he getting wet?

“Good boy,” Azazel said, “look how hard he gets!”

It was true. Somewhere inside, his lizard brain was already taking over, making him push back his arse into Azazel’s hands, moisten his lips – willing to please his alpha, his alphas, make them gasp and fill him up so he could bask in their protection. But he fought it with all he had because he was not a bloody thing to be used and when Logan took his dick out he turned his head away which made Ororo laugh and say “We’ll find use for that mouth yet” and pull his head against her stomach and God he was so hard and –

“Everybody off!”

Some pushing and shoving and somebody was pulling him up by the collar and whispered, hot in his ear:

“Where’s that protection room?”

And the smell of this alpha was even better so he clasped his hands around his waist to hold himself steady and managed to blurt out: “Not – not safe…”

“What?”

“Door won’t hold…”

“Shit!”

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ororo smiling and he heard Logan say: “Aw, boss, no one says that we can’t share…”

“Out! Now!” And this was Lehnsherr and he’d never even properly seen him before and he knew whatever happened he was finished. Logan wouldn’t take Lehnsherr on directly and he was known to mess around with Shaw...

Lehnsherr’s grip was even tighter when he barked: “My office!” and dragged him singlehandedly away from four other frenzied alphas. Five steps before he pushed him through the door and straight into the conference table.

“What do you mean, the room won’t hold?”

“It’s not been reinforced, sir," he said, rubbing his back. "Or insulated.”

“Then why the fuck do we have it?”

“Policy,” he managed to bring out, before drinking in the man’s figure. Fierce eyes, strong jaw, slender hands but powerful. And there was something about that chest- he wanted to crawl his hands all over it and this wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

Lehnsherr met his gaze.

“Damn it Xavier, how could you have been so stupid!”

That shook him up. “Sir, I’m not supposed to be in heat. I registered all at HR…”

“Fuck lot of good that is doing us now, is it?” He clenched his jaw. “Do I call one of those rescue teams?”

“There’s been cuts –”

“Private then!”

“Sir, please don’t…” He looked away. “I can’t afford the premium hike.”

Lehnsherr put his hands in front of his face. “Damn it!” He made a fist. “Jesus, Xavier!”

Charles looked down. Lehnsherr stepped closer. “What am I supposed to do now?”

Charles swallowed. “We… we could take suppressants. If you call Hank –”

“I’m not taking suppressants.” Within three steps, he was in Charles’ face. “I have a conference call with Seoul in two hours, Xavier, and I’m not going to lose our company millions of dollars because you couldn’t keep it in your pants!”

“I was drugged!” Charles shouted back. “It’s the only explanation – ”

“So you were drinking?”

“A mocktail. I’m not allowed alcohol…”

“And you didn’t check it?”

Charles bit his lip. How could he explain – We’re supposed to work together, Charles, why are omegas always so paranoid? You’re playing with the big boys now – to an alpha, especially one whose problems seemed to flee from him?

Lehnsherr touched his arm. “You knew the risk, Xavier,” he said softly.

“Yes, sir.”

“I am well within my rights.”

“Yes, sir.” Charles took a breath. “How do you want me?”

“Standard position, for now.”

Charles nodded. “Sir.”

He closed his eyes. One of the reasons for working here was that Lehnsherr, by everyone’s estimation, distinctly wasn’t the type. The child of a second omega, he had always been sympathetic to their cause. But to have an omega in heat under his nose for a good ten minutes and not fuck him – that was something even Lehnsherr probably could not live down.

He started to unbutton his shirt, but Lehnsherr stopped him. “No time!”

So Charles loosened his trousers, turned around and put his hands on the table in front of him. “I’ve had my shots,” he said.

No more than a grunt. He heard Lehnsherr unbutton his own clothing. When he pushed Charles’ pants down, he sucked in a breath.  

“Xavier, what’s wrong with you?”

Charles blushed. “Nothing physical, sir.”

Lehnherr cupped the cheeks. “Why haven’t you been picked up by some oil magnate?”

Charles clenched a fist. “Don’t much like oil magnates.”

Lehnsherr laughed. “Crazy then.” He leant forward. “I like that.” He put a hand on Charles thigh. “I like that a lot.”

Fuck he was wet and hard already; even the air on his skin was stimulating. He could feel slick dripping down his leg, and as Lehnsherr’s hand spread it over his hole he felt himself clenching involuntarily. Lehnsherr chuckled. “So eager.” He stroked Charles’ neck. “I’ll take care of you.”

And was that in some Alpha’s Handbook or what, but fuck, it worked, because when Lehnsherr pushed in he’d never been that ready. And still his eyes shot open at the feel of it, warm and tight and yes, natural somehow; every movement at the alpha’s behest, every sensation augmented by him, dictated by him. The moans he dragged out Charles were obscene, animal; but whatever Charles did to accommodate his moves - it was never enough. Lehnsherr pushed himself deeper with every thrust, moving faster with each breath. The table rattled, as did the saucer and spoon of an abandoned coffee cup, and when Lenhsherr pulled him closer he hooked his arms around his neck, whispering ‘please, please, please’ with each thrust until Lenhsherr moved up with a sharp hiss and had Charles sobbing, his body milking the orgasm from Lehnsherr’s cock until he slumped back against his chest.

They stayed like that for only a moment. “You should phone for a car,” Lehnsherr said, pulling out and pulling back a chair. “And clean up the table. Not yourself, OK? You’re still in heat, you should not wash my scent away today.”

Charles wiped his face. “Sir.”

Lehnsherr adjusted his clothes. “And you’re good, Xavier. You are more than amazing. But don’t get any ideas.”

Charles nodded. “You’re married.”

Lehsnherr lifted his chin. “Happily married. This would not have happened if you’d not forced my hand.”

“I was – ”

“Drugged, fine, I’ll get on that. You’ll have to take up some vacation in the following days.”

“Heat days are already docked, sir, I can’t take extra –”

Lehnsherr turned around. “You will take vacation time and that’s final. Go home, sleep it off and count your lucky stars, omega boy, because next time, I’ll let them have you.”

Charles nodded. “Sir.” He cleared his throat. “Yes sir.”

Lehnsherr pointed to the bottle of Windex in a cupboard. “Get to it.”

So Charles pulled up his pants, tucked in his shirt and tried not to wince at the feeling of cum drying between his legs. He wiped the table down quickly. Lehnsherr had taken the edge off for now, but he’d be feeling it again in an hour at most.

He pointed to the phone on Lehnsherr’s desk. “Can I use that one?”

Lehnsherr shrugged. “Use the one in the assistant’s lounge. That’s where you’ll be sitting from now on.”

Charles cleared his throat. “I’m not an assistant – ”

“You’re a college boy, aren't you?”

Charles nodded.

“Then you’ll be fine.” He turned around to open the door to the next room.  Charles glimpsed a shower.

“Sir!” Charles called after him. “Who’ll be doing my job?”

Lehnsherr turned back. “You will, of course.”

Charles lifted his head. “For what pay?”

Lehnsherr froze one second.

“Get out, Xavier!”

So Charles did.   


	2. Overwork

Charles crashed into the shelves. “Again with the violence…”

Lehnsherr’s hand was on his neck. “Which part of  ‘taking minutes’, boy, did you not understand?”

“The part where they could land me into a fistfight?” Charles looked down. “Sir, that design was seriously flawed.”

“We saw that.”

“Did you?”

Lehnsherr pushed him off. “You’re working overtime tonight.”

“Sir.” When Lehnsherr walked away, he called:

“And when’s the baby due?”

Lehnsherr grinned. “Not for months yet, Xavier!”

Charles closed his eyes. All in a day’s work.

His phone bleeped. Another ten e-mails, and minutes to  correct. He needed to get going. First stop, though, the restroom. 

He nearly bumped into Angel.

“Hey love. You alright?”

“Yes,” she said, smiling broadly. “Haven’t you heard? Azazel’s getting a promotion!”

“Splendid!” he said, pulling her into a hug. “Congratulations!”

She kept holding on, though, so he pulled back a little.

“Are you alright?”

“Super!” she said, but still wouldn’t let go. “Nervous, I guess.” She swallowed. “I’ve been transferred to Mr. Shaw.”

“Oh.” He rubbed her back. “Oh, darling.”

“No, it’s fine,” she said, slowly untangling herself. “It’s fine! Az suggested it…”

“He did?”

“Yes.” She bit her lip. “He wants me to move up with him. He says I can do it…”

“He’s right,” Charles said. “Of course you can.”

“New adventure, you know.” She sniffled. “I mean, I’m looking forward to it…” A tear slid down her cheek, and she flung herself at him again, half-sobbing against his shoulder. “Sorry, Charles, I’m being stupid…”

He pulled her into a stall. “Have you talked to Azazel about this, Angel?” he said. “I mean - really talked?”

She nodded. “Of course, he said – ”

He shook his head. “What did you say?”

She looked down. “I want to help…”

“Like this?”

She frowned. “You’re doing it, aren’t you?”

He looked away. “That’s temporary. I won’t -”

“Sure.” She took out her phone. “Gosh! I need to clean up.”

He held her back. “You know what he makes, love. Half of that would – ”

For one second, her elegant features were completely frozen. Then she started laughing. “O, Charles, you really are crazy.” She tweaked his nose. “You have make-up on your face.”

He swallowed. “Good luck, then.” He squeezed her shoulder. “You’ll be great.”

She cocked her head. “I aim to please.”

Charles still found it hard to breathe. Call him mental, but  seeing her look this pinched-

Another message.

_Minutes. I’m waiting._

“Shit,” he mumbled. “Angel, I've got to run!”

*

Charles closed his laptop, then rubbed his face. How many coffees had he had today? And why did Lehnsherr spend half an hour on the phone with his wife if he could also –

“Xavier!”

He stood up and caught a quick reflection of himself in the window. He was not half as disheveled as he felt. Prepatory showers could do that to a person.

He walked in.

“Close the door.”

It was hard to bite back something sarcastic at that. As if he’d do any different– as routine as this all was, somebody might have an interest, and with all the wolf whistling going on these days, he wasn’t going to fan those flames if he could help it –

“Something to say, Xavier?”

He shook his head. “No, sir.”

“Good.”

Damn, he was infuriating. Positively throning in that chair, jacket hung over the back, rolled up sleeves – absolutely nowhere to be, and eyeing him as if he was a late night snack -

“Fifth position.”

Charles looked up. “What?” he said, incredulous. "Fifth?"

“Fifth.”

Charles looked at him. Lehnsherr stared right back, and lifted his chin – such a strong jaw, fierce eyes, and that wasn’t all that was strong about him, those arms too, muscles clearly visible under his sleeves, and the waistcoat – it gave him that usual  sleek look, but it also emphasised the broad shoulders. Even half dressed, everything about him seemed supple and controlled – for now.

Charles pulled up his shoulders. “What if I say no?”

“Then I’ll suppose you’re being kinky.” Lehnsherr splayed out his legs a little wider. “Come on, Xavier. You’re the one who is always dragging things out.”

“Sir.” He started for the bathroom, but Lehnsherr laughed.

“I’m sitting right here.”

Charles  turned around. “Do you want me to give you a show?”

“Preferably.” He moistened his lips. “Unless you want my help?”

“No,” Charles said. “No, I’m good.”

“OK then,” said Lehnsherr. “Eyes front.”

Charles stared at him once more, but eventually bent over to take off his shoes and his socks – innocuous enough that he might do it at somebody’s home. Next his belt and  tie – familiar, yes, but not yet indecent. No word from Lehnsherr – in fact, he was slowly loosening his own tie.

Charles swallowed. “I don’t think…”

“Stop talking.”

“Sir, this isn’t…”

Lehnsherr stood up. “Don’t bend the rules if you don’t want me to do the same.”

Charles saw the bulge of Lehnsherr’s cock and where did he think that this was going? Still, something inside made him want to scratch, claw, fight, the way he’d never fought anyone, had not in the least felt the inclination to.

But this was his boss.

He opened his shirt, slowly, and hung it over the nearest chair around the conference table. Next came his t-shirt. Lehnsherr’s eyes had turned to slits. Charles turned around, partly to avoid that look, partly to give Lehnsherr a good view of his arse. But after he’d folded his trousers – Lehnsherr was a neat freak -  

“Come here.”

Charles could barely breathe. Fifth position wasn’t appropriate. It was something for anniversaries, for God’s sake, and not even the first one.

But to refuse an alpha, this alpha-

His alpha –

It was like folding into it. He lowered his head and let his arms hang by his side; didn’t look up as he approached Lehnsherr, only gasped as he felt Lehnsherr’s hands on his hips, sliding inside his boxers and cupping his arse, kneading softly. Charles felt the slick between his legs as he exposed his neck; Lehnsherr leant over to lick the soft spot near his collarbone, still squeezing his arsecheeks. “Hot and wet,” he said as he dipped his hand between them and circled Charles’ entrance, “stop lying to yourself.” Charles moaned again as Lehnsherr shoved a finger inside, rutting against the other hand as Lehnsherr stroked his cock. Another kiss on his neck as Charles slid his boxers off. Completely naked now, Lehnsherr pushed him towards the chair by the small of his back before sitting down himself. “Open my fly.”

Charles hesitated. Lehnsherr’s cock was more than typical for an alpha, and though he was wet, he was hardly soft, the way he would be while in heat. “Sir…”

“Push down my pants and take out my cock, Xavier, or I will keep you here all night.”

He bloody well looked like he was about to. Charles hurried to pull down the zipper, then reached round the back to push down Lehnsherr’s pants. When he touched his balls, Lehnsherr moved up, once, but controlled himself. Instead, he pulled Charles close and again slipped two hands between his cheeks. “Slick me up,” he whispered in Charles’ ear.

The way his fingers were circling his entrance, softening him up, had Charles gushing like a two-penny whore. He threw his head back, biting his lip, but could do nothing about his puffed and clenching hole. When Lehnsherr curled his finger inside and used his other hand to massage his cock Charles had to do everything he could not to buck against his boss’s leg. Satisfied, Lehnsherr moved his hands up Charles’ torso. “You know what to do, Xavier.”

“Yes, sir,” he moaned, but couldn’t quite get himself to move until Lehnsherr pulled him forward, cock rubbing against his leaking hole. Only then Charles straddled him in earnest, lifted his bum and slowly moved down Lehnsherr’s prick.   

And it was all forms of too much, too close, indecent, the way the position forced him to wriggle his bum, to fuck himself open lest Lehnsherr took over; how hard he got, angling his body so as to find pleasurable spots inside himself, hell, how the act of rutting was near bringing him off. If anything, he ought to be servicing Lehnsherr, but the man kept himself very still; supporting Charles  to help keep his balance, claiming nothing, looking at him through half-lidded eyelids. It was extremely uncharacteristic behaviour, until –

“Wait… Sir, are you knotting?!”

Lehnsherr flashed him a smile and grasped him more tightly. Charles tried to move up but Lehnsherr held him firm, his cock swelling with every pulse of his veins.

“You can’t!” Charles hissed. He’d heard of it, as some weird kink, but he’d never guessed why anyone would want to do it – without a heat, there was neither stimulation for the alpha, nor any sort of pleasure for the beta or omega involved. Unless, of course, you were a masochist.

Lehnsherr was unperturbed. “Don’t move,” he said. “Whatever we do now, it would hurt if you don’t relax.” He put Charles’ hands on his shoulders, then grabbed the back of his legs. “I’ve got you,” he said, digging in his fingers.

“It’ll tear!” Charles spat.

“Not if you stay calm it won’t.” He kissed his neck. “Be good now.”

“You bastard,” Charles said, but tried to relax as Lehnsherr started coming. Thankfully Lehnsherr didn’t move either, but spread Charles’ arse, rubbing slick and cum around his hole, which helped keep things just on this side of bearable. Even so, Charles had to shift forward, which forced him almost nose to nose with his superior. Soon Lehnsherr closed his eyes, shuddered once more  and went limp; though of course his knot wasn’t going anywhere. Yet, instead of nodding off, his boss fixated him.

“What is your problem, Xavier?”

Charles clenched his fists. “What, right now?”

“You’ll be fine when you do as I say,” Lehnsherr said, lips curling up. “But you don’t like that.”

“Why should I like it?” Charles said, but tried to keep his calm as not to make the stretch unbearable.

“You know what I expect of you,” Lehnsherr said. “You know I keep my promises. Any questions you have are always answered and I make sure your needs are met.”

Charles clenched his jaw. “Yes, sir.”

Lehnsherr grabbed his face. “You only ‘sir’ me when I do something you hate,” he said. “You do not want to serve. Why are you here at all?”

Charles blinked. “The money?”

“Your guardian doesn’t take care of you?”

Charles’ lips curled. “Raven’s a social worker. We’re barely making rent.”

“I don’t understand.”

Charles closed his eyes. “Quite.”

Lehnsherr grabbed him more tightly. “Xavier. Stop pouting and explain yourself.”

“Sir, yes, sir, right away sir, would you like a drink with that –”

Lehnsherr hit him in the face.

The movement too, made Charles hiss with pain. He stared at him, and  Lehnsherr shrugged.

“You were out of line.”

Charles blinked, then shook his head. “Yes. You’re right. Forgive me.” He had to get out of here ASAP and he was going to steal some of Raven’s liquor tonight, regulations be damned.

“Here.” Lehnsherr handed him his jacket, and only then Charles noticed he was shaking. “It’ll go down soon.”

When it did, Charles accepted one last arm around his waist to steady him, but then quickly went for his clothes. “Can I use your bathroom now?”

“Wouldn’t be the first time.” 

True, though this time, he took a bit longer than he usually dared. He didn’t want to go outside shivering like a leaf.

When he came out, washed and dressed, Lehnsherr had somehow managed to restore himself to near unrumpled  sleekness. He put down his phone. “Get your things. I’ve told your guardian you’re late.”

Charles blinked wearily. “Why was that?”

Lehnsherr smiled. “I'm taking you out.”    


	3. Work outing

“OK,” Lehnsherr said. “Stop here.”

Charles jerked himself from the stupor he’d just barely managed to slip into. He found himself on 5th, and crooked an eyebrow.

“What?” Lehnsherr said, and Charles blinked.

“Sir?”

“What’s wrong with it?”

Charles frowned. “Nothing, sir.”

Lehnsherr didn’t move.

“It’s fine!” Charles said. “Fine dining.”

Lehnsherr laughed. “You’re a terrible liar.” He slipped the driver a twenty, then got out. When Charles had managed to do the same, he said: “So what is wrong with it?”

 Charles took a breath. “With respect, sir, if you were planning  to spend a frankly unconscionable amount of money on a single meal, wouldn’t you want it to taste nice? These places charge you mainly for the view.”

Lehnsherr smirked. “You haven’t gone hungry much, have you?” Then started walking. “Come on, we’re late.”

Charles needed a second to close his mouth again. “Not the point,” he said, a little breathless. “I only meant-”

Lehnsherr smiled. “Charles, I wouldn’t take you here if I couldn’t afford it.” With that, he opened the door to Armani.

The place looked polished to a sheen, and he immediately got why Lehnsherr liked it. They probably had a vetting process for the omegas they hired; they were all resplendently beautiful in ways Charles could never even strive to attain. Not a beta in sight, either – this kind of effortless hospitality, if not to say servility, had to be ingrained from birth. Were they gliding? He felt clumsy and underdressed, and certain he wasn’t making a good impression – though he was not here to make an impression, was he, if nothing else, he was not Lehnsherr’s server –

“May I help you?” A young woman handed him a little package wrapped in linen that turned out to be a hot stone; as a young male omega was talking to Lehnsherr about the reservation, she took two more packages, and held them against the back of his neck. He immediately felt his shoulders drop.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

She held them just a second longer, then waited for him to give the first stone back. There was that brush of not-quite-contact, that nevertheless gave him a sense of how soft her hands were. As if she bathed in milk.

“Don’t worry,” she whispered, as the male server led Lehnsherr away. “You’re in good hands.”

Charles stiffened. “He’s not – we’re not…” He sighed. “He’s my boss.”

Her eyes twinkled. “Still.”

She led him to a waiting area, where she handed him a hot, perfumed towel. He snorted. And they said chivalry was dead. When – if – he  and Raven went out together, she naturally went in first- he’d even remembered the one time she had to ask them to be reseated because a group of alphas at the neighbouring table threatened to become a nuisance, but here the implication was that he’d refrain from touching anyone or anything before being seated at his alpha’s table. He disliked this purity nonsense – he was not an object to be tainted – but cleaning his hands with the towel was calming, and the complementary hand lotion smelled very good indeed. He even took the time to file one of his nails before the male omega came to escort him to Lehnsherr’s table.

He must have sat down while arranging things with the server, but Charles didn’t even see him rise, instead standing next to his chair as Charles approached and the server pulled back his chair for him. When Charles saw the extra cushion, he blushed into his hairline. Lehnsherr saw his eyes wander, but, mercifully, declined to comment for once, instead sitting down himself. Moments later, the female server approached them with two menus.

“You would like to place separate orders?”

Dear lord, did some people really not even order their own food?

“Yes,” Lehnsherr said. “Though you can skip the appetizer.” He looked at Charles. “Do you have any other dietary requirements?”

 “Other than that I adore appetizers, none.”

Both servers laughed as if they’d never heard something that witty. And it really did relax even the tight lines along Lehnsherr’s mouth.

“Fine, have six,” he grinned, taking both menus hand handing Charles his. He nodded at the server. “Which Rieslings do you recommend this month?”

“Mostly Alsace, sir,” the woman said, “though we always have some excellent choices from the Palatinate region.”   

“Alsace will do,” Erik said. “Will you fetch me a selection?” He looked at Charles. “Plus some Pellegrino, add some lemon, easy on the ice.”

“Certainly.” They both left, though not without giving Charles an extra warm smile.

He ducked into his menu.

“German wine,” he said after they’d gone. “Sounds harsh.”

Lehnsherr smiled.  “Have you ever been to Germany?”

“Not really. Have you?”

He blinked. “Are you kidding me? I was born in Berlin!”

Charles blushed. “There’s several in the US alone,” he said. “Also one in Haïti…”

Lehnsherr shook his head. “My name didn’t clue you in?”

He shrugged. “Could have been Ashkenazi.” He looked at him. “But you’re Jewish?”

“By blood.” He waved at the menu. “Pick your food, Xavier.”

He put down the menu. “I didn’t mean anything by it, sir.”

He softened. “I didn’t think you did. Though it’s a rather personal question.”

Charles lifted his eyebrows. “You’ve also seen I’m not.”

One server came back with the wines, and Charles looked away; a beta may have opted to forgo wine in solidarity, but alphas naturally were above such concerns. “I’ll have the Rigatoni,” he said, a little testy. “Maiale for my main course, please.”

Lehnsherr nodded. “Good strong food.” He handed back his menu, and held his hand out for Charles’s. “Risotto for me and Manzo for the main course.” He pointed at the wine. “I’ll take the Alsace for the first course, you may surprise me for my main.”

Charles waited until the man was gone, but then he bent over. “You do know they’ll get you the most expensive red wine they serve.”

Lehnsherr grinned. “They tried that, once. They won’t again.”

Right. Um. He sipped his Pellegrino. An appetizer would have been welcome right about now.

He cleared his throat. “You’ve been here before, then, sir?”

He grinned.“Magda hates it when I take her. I mean, she mostly adores it, but she can’t give herself permission to – ”

Charles closed his eyes. “Stop. I’m sorry.” He pushed back his chair. “With all due respect, I-”

“Charles.” Damn, he kept forgetting how fast they moved, Cain had been much the same. “I’ll have you out of here within two minutes when you explain yourself. But you _will_ explain yourself.”

He pulled back his shoulders. “Please let go of my hand.”

“I will when you sit down.”

He wanted to create a scene, he didn’t want to create a scene. He was tired, sore, apprehensive – and really, really hungry.

He lowered himself down. “I don’t know what you want.”

“That makes two of us.”

Charles smirked. “I’d love to be on the couch with a cup of cocoa and a tube of sore bum cream.” Lehnsherr frowned, and he lowered his eyes. “Sir, you told me not to get any ideas.”

He leant back. “And you’d be wise not to.”

Charles looked up. “I’m not the one getting ideas. The whole office is getting ideas.” He looked around. “Our waitress is getting ideas.” At that moment, she appeared with two first courses, and he tucked in, all dignity forgotten. “O, thank God.”

Lehnsherr was silent for a long time. Eventually he said: “They’ve told me not to confuse you.”

Charles looked up. “They?”

“Forgive the term, Charles, but American omegas are said to be – less worldly, somehow. Delicate.”  He looked around. “Much like here.”

Charles smirked. “Who told you that?”

“Everyone,” Lehnsherr said. “It’s part of civics class, even.”

“Any omegas in your civics class, sir?”

He bristled. “Of course not.”

“So it’s possible you might have been misinformed?”

Lehnsherr cracked a smile. “Watch it, you.”

“Sir.” Another sip of water. “What’s it like, then? Berlin?”

He smirked. “The fuck do I know. Haven’t been there in years.”

That fact seemed to hurt. “Why’d you leave?”

He pulled up his shoulders. “Torgau.”

“What’s that?”

“Forget it.” He drained his wine. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“OK.” Charles cleared his throat. “How about your wife? Is she –”

“She was in solitary next to me. She’d gone into heat, and upset the – Jesus, Charles, I’m not going to talk about this. I’m not.” He rubbed his face. “The wall came down the next year, that’s what I can’t shake. One more year and we could have walked across, but instead –” He closed his eyes. “If it weren’t for Magda, I would have Margot Honecker strung up by her entrails by now.”

They ate, risotto and pasta, and somehow didn’t speak much until well into the next course. Then Charles put down his fork.

“My stepfather used to lock me up too. Especially when I was in heat when Cain was home. If he... if he could break down the door, he could have me.”

Lehnsherr looked up. “That’s a terrible thing to do to a boy.”

“Yeah,” Charles said. Then he frowned. “Unless you mean Cain?”

“Him too,” Lehnsherr said. “It’s extremely painful, being around an omega in heat without doing anything about it. Especially when you get frenzied enough to break down doors.”

“We lived in a fucking castle, he could have gone to any room he wanted to get away from me!”

“That would have been crueller still,” Lehnsherr said. “Didn’t you want him to come in?”

Charles stared. “No. No, I did not want him to come in.” He scoffed. “I’d rather get fucked by a rhinoceros.”

Lehnsherr crooked an eyebrow. “Let me guess. He did come in most times, didn’t he?”

Charles bit his lip. “Yes. Yes, he did.”

Lehnsherr shrugged. “You can’t fight biology.”

Charles blinked, then lifted his head. “With respect, sir, did you major in biology too?”

And then he saw something he’d never seen in anyone. It was perhaps in the tilt of his jaw, the laser like intensity in which Lehnsherr’s gaze caught his or the extremely soft voice, forcing him to lean closer, but whatever it was, it would not be denied. “I’ve seen what happens,” he said, “when everything is washed away, alpha, beta, omega, woman, man or in between. When they call you comrade while they strip away your soul. For equality.”

Charles felt his lips part, moistened them, then looked away, but when he did felt Lehnsherr’s hand on his face. “Stop fighting what you are,” the older man said as he looked down on him, “and you’ll make someone a good mate yet.”

“I don’t –”

But Lehnsherr lift his chin. “Eat up. I need to get home.” He let go. “Besides, you’ll want that cocoa.”

He hardly spoke for the rest of the meal, and on the way home kept stroking the spot where Lehnsherr’s hand had touched his, briefly, to help him into the taxi. At home he brushed Raven off with a quick “tired”, crawled between the sheets of his bed and rubbed fresh slick on his battered hole.

He came twice that night.


	4. Human resource management

This was getting out of hand, surely.  Charles started having trouble thinking of positions he hadn’t been fucked in. Lehnsherr took him  like a beta: any day, anytime, without consideration for things like hormones or sleep schedules or not today, damn it, I want to watch a game. It wasn’t natural, even for an alpha in his prime, and though he supposed allowances could be made for Lehnsherr’s nerves as a soon to be father, both of them were starting to draw looks from higher management. Eventually, Ororo called him into her office.

“I’ve been reviewing your time cards, Charles,” she said. “You’re long overdue your two weeks vacation, and you’re entitled to at least another one.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” he said listlessly. “But I’d rather have the money.”

She looked at him. “Hank says you haven’t been refilling your prescription.”

“Haven’t needed it,” he said.

“Charles, it is unwise to discontinue medication without consulting your physician.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said. “I’ll talk to him.”

(He’d do no such thing. )

Ororo folded her hands. “Mr. Xavier. Mr. Lehnsherr is of great value to this company and I, on behalf of all of us, want to express our gratitude for your dedication.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” he said. “That is very kind.”

She cleared her throat. “Be that as it may, Mr. Xavier, we need to look after the wellbeing of all our employees. And as such, I strongly advise you to take some time off.”

“I understand.”

“You’ll take next week then.”

“No ma’am.” He swallowed. “I’d rather have the money.”

She sighed. “Charles, however strong the loyalty between alpha and omega may get, Mr. Lehnsherr is not –”

Charles looked at her. “Are you jealous?”

Ororo leant back. “That’s not the issue here.”

“He didn’t want to, you know,” Charles said. “Would have brought me to that joke of a protection room. I don’t know if you would have done that.”

“Again, Charles, that is not relevant.”

Charles smiled. “No, of course not.”

She stood up. “Take the time off.”

It was hard not to fold. Rude, tasteless. Common.

He squared his shoulders.

“I don’t have to.”

She blinked. “I strongly advise you to follow our company’s guidelines in this matter.”

Charles swallowed. “Yes, ma’am. Thank you. But I don’t have to. I’ve read the regulations and the choice is mine.”

She leant back. “Are you in debt?”

Charles looked up. “Is there anything else I can help you with, Ms. Munroe?”

“Charles, you have to look at the company’s wellbeing as well as your own!”

He bit his lip. “With respect, Madam, I thought that’s what I had been doing for the past eight months.”

She lifted her head. “You might think of your direct colleagues too, Charles. In fact, I’ve heard some worrying reports-”

He stared. “O my God.”

She frowned. “What?”

“You’re over budget.” He grinned. “You’re over your fucking budget.”

She narrowed her eyes. “If you would keep this professional, Mr. Xavier.”

“’Professional.’ ” He narrowed his eyes. “Is that the new jargon? ‘Omega cap’ too gauche?”

She crossed her arms. “This is a matter of health and safety.”

“I imagine so, yes,” he said. “I’d rather not face Mr. Shaw with that little tidbit. But I maintain, Ms. Munroe, that I’d rather have the money, as is my right, a right that even a pro bono lawyer won’t have trouble defending.” He looked away. “Is there anything else you want to discuss?”

She closed her eyes. “I’ll have to take this up with Mr. Lehnsherr.” She paused. “And Mr. Shaw.”

“Yes, ma’am.” His phone lit up. “Can I take that?”

“Yes.”

He left her with a rather sarcastic nod. His mood was playing up, which she had reason to know.  She normally didn’t bring up stuff like this around those days, but if it was him or Mr. Shaw, he understood why she’d play dirty.

“Hi Raven.”

“Hey, love. I’m heading out soon, do you need anything?”

“No.” He’d been through his supplies last night. “No, I think I’m all set.”

“Really?” She was quiet for a moment. “No pads, cream, heat packs?”

“Nope.”

“Pills?”

“I’ve got almost two months’ worth.”

“Huh.” Then she laughed. “Guess that I’m shopping at Whole Foods.”

He grinned. “Don’t overdo it.”

“What, no quail egg omelet?”

“Raven!”

More giggles. “OK. But I’m getting you some of that fancy schmancy British chocolate.”

“Cadbury’s not that fancy.”

“It’s imported, you snob.” Her voice dropped. “You’re working late tonight?”

He sighed. “Seems likely.”

She was quiet for a moment.

“I think you’re very brave, Charles.”

He felt tears come to his eyes. “Thanks. Everybody here thinks I’m just slutting it up.”

“They don’t know you.”

“I guess.” He swallowed. “Still. His wife’s ready to pop. Six more weeks of this, at most, and he won’t be in the office for much of it.”

“Ah, yes. And worse things happen in France.”

“Worse things do happen in France.”  He cleared his throat. “Duty calls, sweetheart. See you tonight.”

“I’ll make you Irish coffee.”

Now he really was crying. “Hang up or I’ll report you.” He smiled when he heard the connection break.

He checked his emails, decided to go grab an early lunch. When he went up again, Emma was waiting for him in the hallway.

“O, hi,” he said. “Do you want to go over Lehnsherr’s schedule now, or – ”

“Ororo’s in there,” Emma said.

Charles shrugged.

“She does not look happy.”

“Yes, well, can’t be helped.” He took out his phone. “He’s blocked his schedule for the rest of the afternoon, so we might want to tell Logan this is a good time to go over those proposals.”

She rolled her eyes.“Listen, sugar – whatever it is you’re doing, this may be a good time to stop.”

He looked up. “Why does everybody think it’s me?”

They turned back when they heard Lehnsherr’s door open. “See you Tuesday,” he said as they walked back to their desks. But when Ororo walked out, Lehnsherr kept standing in the doorway. “Hold my calls, Emma,” he said. And to Charles:

 “Xavier - inside.”

 Charles closed his eyes for a millisecond, then nodded. He flinched a little when Lehnsherr pointedly closed the door.

Lehnsherr crossed his arms. “Why is it so hard for you to follow simple instructions?”

Charles licked his lips. “What did she tell you?”

Lehnsherr sighed. “Charles, if HR tells you to take time off, you take time off. It is that simple.”

“Sir, I don’t have to rehash the argument I had with her this morning, surely?” He looked down. “Besides, you keep assigning me the work.”

“Work.” The word was close to inaudible, but impossible to mistake.

He looked up.

“What did you think this was?”

Lehnsherr tilted his head back.

“Don’t pretend you didn’t enjoy some of it.”

Charles frowned, shook his head, grabbed his elbow, but Lehnsherr only smiled. “Hands on the table.”

“Now?” Charles looked towards the door. “Everybody’s still there!”

“You’ll have to be very quiet then, won’t you?” Lehnsherr walked towards him. “I can’t have you working late anymore, that’s for certain.”

“I’ll have to prep,” he whispered.

“O, I don’t think so,” Lehnsherr said. He stood behind him, ran his fingers over Charles’s chest, then buried his face in his neck. “By God, you’re close.”

Was it that? Or was it the overwhelming proximity of alpha? Lehnsherr was an extraordinarily fine specimen and Charles was a professional with a job to do and was that his hand on his arse and his thumb on his entrance and why was he so wet already and…

“There it is,” Lehnsherr crooned. “Now put your hands on the table like I told you.”

“Yes, sir,” he said, anything for Lehnsherr not to stop what he doing and Jesus, what was that point he was pressing with his finger the slick was practically dripping down his leg. He undid his buttons and let Lehnsherr pull down his pants.

“Beautiful,” Lehnsherr said, stroking along his inner thigh, and while he had one hand up Charles’s bum, he put another on the head of Charles’s cock. Charles yelped.

“Shhh,” Lehnsherr said, but he chuckled, stroking two spots simultaneously. “You can come when I fuck you, Charles,” he whispered. “Would you like me to fuck you?”

“Yes, sir, please,” Charles said. “Please do…”

“Lie back, then,” and Charles let Lehnsherr lift him on the table, all dignity forgotten. He lift up his knees, and Lehnsherr made quick work of both his pants and his shoes (loafers, but could anyone blame him for being practical after all this time?) before opening his own fly. Charles started stroking his own prick, but Lehnsherr put down his hand. “Not what I said,” he said, then smiled. “You can stroke mine.”

Alpha dick. Tomorrow he’d be begging for it, rutting alone against his mattress, but Charles registered with mild surprise that he really wanted it now, too; it would be nearly the same, he felt it, and his hole was already puffed and swollen, flushed with blood. He didn’t need it, exactly, not yet, not today, but yes – he did want it.

So he scooted forward before dipping down Lehnsherrs briefs, felt his cock throbbing in his palm –God – and then pushed the tip of it against his entrance. Lehnsherr grinned, opened his legs, repositioned – and pushed in.

“You like that, don’t you?” he grunted. “Being fucked?”

“Yes,” Charles gasped. “Please more.”

It was so different when his body seemed to want it for itself, made his hands stretch out to grab Lehnsherr’s ass – deeper sir, yes – and have Lehnsherr thrust faster too. Lehnsherr was grinning widely as he muffled Charles’s gasps, then dipped between his legs to coat Charles cock with his own slick.

“So good for me,” he gasped, pumping Charles’ prick, “so close,”  and suddenly:

“I want your heat.”

Charles froze. “What?”

Lehnsherr  pulled him upright, close to his chest, and whispered: “Charles, I’ll be good to you…”

He tried to struggle free but Lehnsherr held him fast, started fucking at a relentless pace; the sex was electric but Charles felt numb with shock, kicked himself off the table as soon as Lehnsherr’d finished  with a grunt. He scrambled for his clothes without looking at his boss.

“Charles?” Lehnsherr said, then: “Xavier, what’s wrong?”

Charles tried very hard to control his breathing. “I’ll take two weeks vacation time, right now, with your permission.” 

 Lehnsherr touched his shoulder. “Charles, look at me.”

Charles flinched. “We say things, sir, it’s quite alright. Heat of the moment…”

“Charles.”

He clenched his fists. “What the hell do you take me for?”

Lehnsherr grabbed his arm. “Charles, I’ve been thinking about this for a very long time – ”

“Let me go. I’m feeling sick.”

Lehnsherr didn’t move.

“Let me out!”

“You can’t just leave…”

“I can, sir!” He pulled himself free with a force that seemed to surprise the alpha, stormed out of the door and walked to Emma’s desk. “You’ll have to cover for me,” he said, grabbed his things and ran downstairs.

“Charles!”

Well, of course, give it to Lehnsherr to come running after him;  but there were places alphas couldn’t go, things an omega could do when stuff got dire.

He ran into a beta men’s restroom.

“Please,” he said. “My heat’s almost up, and this alpha won’t leave me alone…”

“Right on,” a young man said. “Stay in here. Do you want me to get you a cab?”

“I’ll get an Uber. Just don’t let him in.”

“You’re fine,” the man said. “I’ll help you get out.” He offered his hand. “I’m Alex.”

“Charles,” he said, shaking his hand before tapping away on his phone.

 Alex shook his head. “I can’t smell anything yet. Some alphas keep pushing their luck.”

“Yes,” Charles said, eyes glued to the screen. “O, here’s one now.” He let Alex take his arm so they’d walk out together.

Lehnsherr was looking around the entrance hall when he saw him. “Charles!” They were almost at the door when he caught up. “Charles, let’s at least talk about this –”

“Back off, mister,” Alex said. “This is not your lucky day.”

Lehnsherr smirked. “That’s my assistant.”

Alex frowned. “And I’m the Pope’s daughter. Get lost before I report you.”

 Charles took advantage of the opportunity to slip through the revolving doors and make a beeline for the car. “Drive, please,” he said when he saw Lehnsherr appear.

The driver did; a couple of blocks later he turned around. “Hey, are you OK?”

“I guess,” he said, trying to surpress a shiver. “I’ll be home soon.”

“Do you need to call ahead?”

 “No, I’m fine,” he sighed. “My sister’s waiting for me.”

In fact, he sincerely hoped not; he was extremely relieved when the house was indeed empty. He immediately went for the bourbon and poured himself a criminally large glass.

He sank down on the couch, taking extremely small sips, until he had the courage to take his phone out.

Seven missed calls; more than one email, 20 plus texts.  

(His arse was still crusty with cum.)

No matter.

It took a rather big gulp till he dared open Google. His hands were shaking when he typed in the phrase.

 

_To take someone’s heat (colloq.)_

  1. _To take for a concubine_
  2. _To enter a common law marriage_
  3. _An extramarital affair_
  4. _(Rarely) Visiting a prostitute_



Charles closed down his browser and sobbed.

 


	5. Heat leave

Sex talk. It was the only logical explanation.

No it wasn’t.

It bloody was.

O, please. 'I’ve been thinking about this for a long time'?

They’d been having sex for a long time!

Charles stomped into a pillow. His heat wouldn’t quite ‘take’. It seemed like his cycle had been royally fucked up.

Bastard.

He was aching for his phone, but after having found him thoroughly sloshed, Raven had confiscated it. “The last thing you should be doing now is drunk-texting your work,” she’d said as she’d put it away. “I’ll deal with HR, confirm your vacation.”

“But what does it _mean,_ Raven?” he remembered, all but slobbering on her shoulder. “What does he want?”

She looked him dead in the eyes. “I’ll tell you what this is, Charles. A total dick move, is what. And you know that, or you wouldn’t have run away.”

“But I don’t understand…”

“There’s nothing to understand.” She grabbed his arms. “You’re worth more than that, Charles. More than him. You’re Charles Xavier, and don’t you forget that.”

He sniffled. “You sound like Mum.”

“Someone has to.”

He shook his head. “I want a drink.”

She grabbed his hand.  “Listen to me. We’re never going to win this if you let yourself go. This would be enough to lose the case on, Charles, for God’s sake.” She hauled him up. “Come on, to bed with you.”

And bed he hadn’t left, not even after eating Raven’s laughably healthy breakfast – goji berries, really, he wanted beans on toast – instead positioning and repositioning his small array of toys, hoping that it would do something, other than get him progressively more irritated. But no, he wasn’t so much horny as bloated, and when his heat was going to be late, he might as well get up.

Ah, great, now he was cramping, too. OK, OK, a shower would help. Nice and _hot_. And home, they’d barely allowed him more than tepid.

He leant back and let the water run over him. There now, that should kick start things, if the theories were right. He grabbed Raven’s shower foam – store brand, regular kind, no softness enhancing ‘abilities’ – and felt a pang of sadness for her. She loved omega stuff, had regularly nicked his, and he’d let her, because the design of it all had made him uncomfortable. ‘Intense’, good grief, as if he’d wanted his heats to be even more debilitating. But this stuff was bland, and though he didn’t mind, Raven deserved more than a little pampering.

She’d warned him. By God how she’d warned him. But he’d always thought she inferred he couldn’t do it. Some vapid, spoiled pet, a prince running away from his tower. Took her a while to believe, too, how much he dreaded his heats, and Cain, and the life that lay before him. But in the end she’d come through with flying colours, and landed him – here.

He let out a shuddering sigh. The dangers of the working world – don’t leave the path, Red Riding Hood – had always had a wondrous quality to him. To stand on your own, to make your way – how it must make up for being a glorified… glorified incubator.

He’d never really voiced that thought. How could he? Who else was to do it – betas? Getting their women pregnant was a war tactic. Yes, it was possible, and by now, even tolerably safe – but beta girls still died in childbirth, they or their babies, who they at times did not carry to term. Beta men were known to leave them too, after birth or even during pregnancy. It was absolutely repugnant. And he now, born with a deep rooted, genetic purpose –he wouldn’t do it, and instead had chosen data entry.  

If that were only what it was. The leers. It wasn’t just Lehnsherr – in fact the leering had markedly decreased when the fucking had begun – but nearly every alpha, even a few betas, undressed him with their gaze and he’d never even guessed how well protected he’d been before. He felt like a raw, pulsating sinew, and he wanted to give up – give in.

And at that thought, at that exact thought, he felt the slick coming. His hole was suddenly pulsing with it and he immediately stuffed two fingers inside. Yes, sir,take my heat, you can have it. It’s always been yours. 

He slicked his fingers up with his own juice, rolling up his hands, smearing himself, his buttocks, his lower back, his abdomen, his nipples, a trail for Lehnsherr’s tongue. Please, sir, I want some more.

“You’ve made me wait.”

The thought of that voice, hot on his ear, made him rock hard.

Yes, sir, forgive me.

“Why would I do that?”

Because I didn’t know.

“What didn’t you know?” (Hands on his arse, on his cock, Lehnsherr's own cock pressing in...)

I want to be your boy, sir, please let me be your slut.

He sank to his knees, bowed his head, lifted his arse – classic presentation. As his fingers rubbed his hole even more slick flowed out, mixing with the steam to make a sickly sweet aroma. Take me, sir. Just _take_ me.

“Go to your bed. Wait for me there.”

Don’t think, don’t you think. If he thought, all that was left would be cramps and pain, whereas the memory of Lehnsherr was so recent it could almost be happening now. He would find Charles in bed waiting – so ready for him, so open – completely out of his head with throbbing, pulsing _heat._ Charles kept grabbing his cock, too, coating it with slick to get it hard, strong and beautiful. But how long, how long before his alpha came to him? What if he didn’t, what if -

“Go on, lie down. I want to watch you.”

Yes, good, make it good, make him happy, but then what  –

 “Show me how to fuck you, love.”

Great God he wanted more than he could take. He grabbed his biggest dildo, the one he barely used, and pushed it between his cheeks. Please, sir, please, like that, because however fleshy this one felt, it wasn’t a cock, he needed a knot, he needed his knot -

“Ah, ah, ah, Xavier, you don’t give the orders here. I told you to fuck yourself,  and fuck yourself you will.”

Nice, yes, show Lehnsherr how to fuck him open with those calm short thrusts of his, hitting his prostate ever quicker, sometimes pulling back just to make him moan. Charles would get ever wetter, readier, harder as he’d feel that cock swell, feel Lehnsherr’s sweet sweat on his back and o, yes Jesus, Lehnsherr’s licking sucking mouth, scraping his teeth along the gland in his neck…

Charles opened his eyes. Nononono, that was not supposed to happen. There was no alpha here. That gland shouldn’t be swelling and…

“Raven!”

It felt like and orgasm gone wrong, building and building and no relief, and some part of his brain warned him that could lead to a seizure. But he needed to be bitten and omegas had been know to stab themselves in the neck –

“Raven!”

And if she’d suspected something he couldn’t say, but there she was, an ice cold compress at his neck, stuffing her fingers in his mouth so he had something to suck on, embracing him as he pulled on his prick to finally come and come and come.

He slumped into her arms. “It’s never been like this,” he whispered. “Raven, it’s insane.”

She kissed his head. “I’ll get you through it, Charles. I always have.”

“Not like this,” he gasped. “I need my pills.”

“It’s not an emergency.”

He looked at her. “I was this close to actually piercing my jugular. Please, Raven. Just get my pills.”

She gave him a long look. “This isn’t right.”

He nearly sobbed. “No, it isn’t right, Raven. None of this is right. But help me, Raven, help me...”

She stood up. “Don’t go anywhere.”

Charles looked around him, sadly. Of course he wouldn’t go anywhere. But a mate, a proper mate, would not even let that become an issue. He would have taken Charles, safe and snug, wherever they both needed to be. He wouldn’t allow him to feel cold, or hungry, even Cain hadn’t, fed him from his own hand to keep his strength up in the heat of it; washed him, dried him, held him close-

Which he hated. Which he deeply, fiercely, passionately hated. But to be here, alone, even for a minute, on soaked through towels to protect his single mattress was its own type of neglect. Raven was a darling, but she missed that special touch, an instinctual knowledge every alpha seemed to have –

Charles bit his lip as he was getting wet again. His body was going to give out at this pace. He hadn’t been eating well, had not had his chance to build his fat up. Months with heats like a summer breeze and now he was burning…

“Here.” O god a glass of cool water against his lips and now it would be over, mercifully, finally, but –

He looked at Raven. “That’s only half a dose.”

She shrugged. “That’s in the instructions.”

“It’s only half a dose!”

“Stay calm, Charles. Shhh.” And she stroked him, washed him, dressed him, changed the sheets and she, too, was only half of what he needed.

He couldn’t take this. He could _not_ take this. Even Cain would be better than nothing, it hurt so bloody much.

“Can you grab me a snack?” It would probably be unsweetened almonds but he needed to get her out of the room.

And oh, the look she gave him was so sweet she nearly broke his heart. If only his body would let him love someone like her, but it didn’t, made him ache for big fat throbbing knotting cock…

Then she was gone. Quick now. He needed to reach under the bed, for plastic taped to the underside of one of the slats…

There it was. His secret stash.

He hated having to betray her trust like this. Raven was exceptionally lenient, as the alcohol proved, and only locked everything away during his heats. Perhaps she wouldn’t even do that if it were up to her only. But the small strip of these pills had made him bear so many heats without them. He could just about get through it if he knew the choice was his.

But not today.

With trembling fingers, he turned the pills around.

July 2016.

Oh.

Still, that meant they’d probably become weaker, yeah? They only guaranteed the pills would work till then, so what? It was not like he was going to sue…

"Charles, hang on, I'll be right up!"

He took two.

*    

He’d never seen Raven this livid.

“Charles Francis Xavier, what the everloving fuck were you thinking?” she said, waving the old pills in front of his face. “Honestly! Do you want to get my license revoked?”

He hung his head. “Raven, it hurt.”

“Then you should have told me that –”

“I _did_ tell you.”

“Which is why I got your drugs, but you did not even wait for them to kick in, you went around and overdosed on expired medicine.”

He bit his lip. “Raven, you don’t know how it feels.”

“That is a bullshit argument, and it is unworthy of you. You were out for six hours, I’ve been worried sick…”

“Raven, that was days ago. I'm right as rain. Look at me, Raven.”

When she did, her eyes were filled with tears.

“Do you think you’re the only one under scrutiny? I’ve got social services breathing down my neck every second Tuesday, I’ve got bills to pay, the blasted heat keeps breaking, they keep cutting our funding, Irene wants me to move…”

He shook his head. “Irene wants you to move?”  

“In, with her, but I won’t do it, I love you, you big lump of stupid, I…”

He felt himself smile. “I didn’t know you were that serious?”

She smiled back, a little. “We are." Then she frowned. "I don’t know. Either way it’s not gonna happen.”

He sighed. “So how’s the legal fund doing?”

She shook her head. ”$1200, give or take.”

“What?” He stared at her. “What exactly have you done -”

She pressed her lips together. “I can show you every single receipt of every living expense of the last 36 months, Charles, and you know why? Because Marko is just dying to get you back into his custody.”

Charles stood up. “So why don’t we sue him? Take out a loan, no cure no pay, there must be something we can do – ”

Raven closed her eyes. “No. I’m not getting you into debt. End of story.”

“But if we win – ”

“We don’t stand a chance if they think you’re unstable, anyway. Promise you won’t do this again, idiot.”

He lowered his eyes. “I promise.” Then he stood up and grabbed his mobile.

“Where are you going?”

“I'm going in.”

“You’re on vacation!”

“Not anymore.” He started typing. Raven put her hands over his.

“Charles, I forbid it. You’ve only just come out of heat…”

“I haven’t been in heat for the past three days, that’s why you were confronting me. If I can argue, I can work Excel.”

She didn’t let go. “And your boss?”

“I’ve got to face him sooner or later.” He brushed off her hand to look at his phone. “I hope you didn’t delete too many files.”

She sighed. “Don’t get into trouble I can’t get you out of,” she said, as he put on a tie and stuffed his laptop into his bag.

He smiled. “I wouldn’t dare.”

Still, the subway ride was jumpy. Water under the bridge, perhaps, Raven had said as much, told him any sensitive messages between them were to be disregarded. (She’d filed the texts and voicemails, as was her right, but hadn’t shown him, as was, sadly, also her right.) He had a clean slate, as far as work was concerned; he’d seen Ororo’s e-mail.

Still, he’d take Lehnsherr on, if it ever came to that. Work was his living, but this was his life, and if he didn’t fight for it, practically nobody else would.

He swallowed, squared his shoulders and got into the lift. At his floor, he gave a nod to Logan, who looked nonplussed to see him, then swooped into the (strangely quiet) assistant's lounge, where Robert was typing away, and Emma would soon be back.

“Hey, Bob,” he greeted, “thought I’d come in. Is Lehnsherr free right now?”

“Yeah,” he said, though he sounded a bit stilted. His phone rang, and he busied himself with it rather quickly. Charles shrugged and set up his laptop, then pointed at Lehnsherr’s door and mimed ‘I’m going in then, yeah?’ at Bob, who gave him a rather helpless head jerk. 

Just as he knocked, Emma appeared, and with one look at him, started miming ‘no, stop, don’t, whatever you do, abort mission!’. He looked at her and frowned, surely they’d both handled an irate Lehnsherr before; he’d be a lot less amenable if Charles would just breeze in here without telling him anything. Also, his presence didn’t have to interfere with Lehnsherr's day at all; there was always backlog to be handled and meetings to be set up, not to mention data entry. In fact, he didn’t see how he could have stayed away two whole weeks; he’d left things in rather a mess and –

“Enter.”

One second, he didn't understand what was happening. He must have walked in on the most elaborate prank of his career.

But both Emma and Robert avoided his gaze.

Right.

Charles brushed a hand through his hair, took a deep breath and fixed his gaze firmly at the ground as he opened the door. Any small hope left him as he saw the tall, slender frame of a man out of the corner of his eye, a man dressed in one of the most sharply cut suits he’d ever seen.

 He closed the door behind him, lifted his gaze for a millisecond, then looked away. His face felt weird trying to speak but he had to, so he cleared his throat. 

“Mr. Shaw. Good morning.”


	6. Hostile takeover

“Who are you?”

 Charles looked up. “I’m Charles Xavier, sir. I’m Mr. Lehnsherr’s assistant?”

 “Ah, yes, you’re Erik’s boy.” He flashed a smile. “Come here.”

 Charles edged forward, slowy. Shaw made a clucking noise.

 “Quickly, boy.”

 Charles swallowed. “Yes, sir.” He took a breath. “I was hoping to speak to Mr. Lehnsherr?”

 “Erik has more important things to attend to at the moment.”

 “Oh,” Charles said, glancing up. “May I ask what?”

 Shaw lifted his chin. “Presumptious, aren’t we?”

 Charles looked away. “It’s only that, sir, as his assistant, it might be useful for me to know...”

 “You’re hardly his only assistant, are you? Why are you bothering me?”

 Charles nodded. “Yes, sir. Excuse me.”

 “Not so fast.” He glanced back.

 “Turn around.” Shaw twirled his finger. “Go on, turn.”

 Charles bit his lip. “Sir.”

 He heard Shaw chuckle as he moved.

 “Yes, that does explain a lot.”

 Charles stared at his shoes.

 “Look at me, boy.”

 Charles met his gaze. That smile made him sick.

 “You’re a very pretty one.” He laughed. “My boy has taste.”

 ‘His’ boy? There was something wrong about that, other than that it was no way to refer to a fellow alpha, even a subordinate one. Charles frowned. “Sir, where is Mr. Lehnsherr?”

 “Attending to his darling wife, I imagine. Which is none of your concern.” He leant back. “Or is it?”

 Charles shook his head. “Not especially.” He turned back. “Sir, if I could -”

 “Shut your mouth.”

 Charles froze. Shaw cocked his head. “Now why is it,” he said, looking him up and down, “that though Erik is attended to by both Emma and Robert, and yourself, you’ve been clocking close to sixty hour weeks?”

 “I’ve been working two jobs, sir,” Charles said through gritted teeth.

 “You've not been hired to do two jobs.”

“No, sir.” 

“Then why do you expect a double salary?”

 He blinked. “I don’t, sir! I’m merely clocking hours worked -”

 “You call that work?”

 Charles leant back. “Excuse me?”

 Shaw pushed back his chair. “What you two get up to after hours is your business,” he said. “Don’t ask me to fund it on company dime.”

 Charles threw his head back. “That is not what happened!”

 Shaw smirked. “You know, Charles, I like your kind,” he said. “Pretty. Docile. Make things run smoothly.” Then he frowned. “I don’t, however, need some uppity boytoy causing trouble. I hear one more complaint about you and you’re done.”

 Charles hung his head. “Sir.”

 “Now get your laptop and get upstairs.”

 Charles glanced up. “Upstairs, sir?”

 “You’re working for Azazel.”

 “But Azazel is in finance!”

 “Did you say something?”

 Charles shook his head.

“Excellent.” He smiled. “Chop chop.”

 The way he said it, Charles got unpleasant visions of actual knives, so he got out as fast as he could without losing face. He went straight to his desk and grabbed his computer.

 “Ta, then, guys,” he said. “Seems I’ve been reshuffled.”

 “What did you do this time?” Bobby mumbed, but Emma said, “D’you need help, or -”

 “I’m fine,” he said, but flinched when Emma pulled him into a hug.

 “Take care, sugar.”

 “Miss Frost,” they heard Shaw call from the office, “reports, please, now!”

 She stiffened. “One moment, sir!” Then she squeezed his hand. “Go.”

 *

  
Azazel shook his head. “What’s going on, damn it?” He looked at Charles. “If you fucked up with Erik, why not fire you?”

  
Charles bowed his head. “He didn’t tell me.”

  
“Weren’t you supposed to be smart or something?”

  
“Sir, I know as much as you.”

Azazel stood up. “Fuck this, I’m seeing Shaw!”

  
Charles bit his lip. “Do you want me to set up in the meantime?”

  
“I want you out, you twerp!” he said, before stomping out himself. At a neighbouring table, Sean lifted his eyebrows.

  
“Nice one.” He smiled. “Welcome to the team, I guess?”

  
“Thank you,” Charles said. “Thank you very much.”

  
The next couple of days were a time Charles preferred not to think about, even weeks later. Azazel came back, mad as hell, and decided, apparently, that the next best course of action was to make Charles’s life as miserable as possible. It amazed him, vaguely, how far Azazel was willing to go to achieve that end; sometimes even messing up reports to make Charles look bad.

It didn’t seem to work.

  
Charles wondered, too, if Azazel might be right, and they were indeed in the middle of some corporate power play. Shaw was everywhere nowadays, there seemed to be at least three of him. It was hard to say if he was fixated on him or on Azazel; he was there to witness at least two verbal smackdowns between them. It seemed to have an effect on Angel, too – she was notably better dressed nowadays, but looked increasingly haggard. He tried to talk to her once or twice, but she acted like he had the plague.

Fine, see if he cared. At least he got his paycheck.

  
At night, he searched the ads, but quickly dismissed them. The pay was hardly better, and this job had been advertised as omega friendly, too. To Raven’s “I’ll ask around” he gave a small nod. You do you, sister dear.

   
A small consolation? Angel seemed to be doing worse.

  
It was an odd situation. Shaw already had two omegas – one very young – but he seemed to enjoy Angel’s - services. Paid for them, handsomely, going by the weight of the new jewellery she was wearing; but they were gaudy, showy pieces, unlikely to help her advance socially, if that was indeed what she was after.

  
Because that was not what they were for.

  
They were markers.

  
Mine.

  
And it was really, really none of Charles’s business whatever pissing contest these two alphas were involved in, but he felt Shaw, especially, really, really wanted him to know.

  
_I own anyone who works for me._

  
But why would he care? He was a pawn in Shaw’s game, perhaps, a pawn he hadn’t moved yet, a pawn he couldn’t move. Charles was unattached, and if he didn’t let his heat get the better of him, Shaw couldn’t legally claim him, and even then – ask Marko, huh, or Lehnsherr...

  
Was this about Lehnsherr?

  
Well, it couldn’t be. And that was over anyway, or it would be, in less than five weeks. Shouldn’t his wife – Magda, was it?- have given birth by now? Her heat would start up in due time then, and really, even alphas were supposed to last a few weeks at least – especially when their bodies were flushed with oxytocin. No, this was over. Final. Done.

  
Still, with that first encounter...

  
Charles shook his head. He and Cain had mated more than twenty times, the times Cain had succeeded, mind – but Charles was hardly mooning after him now, was he? Lehnsherr had taken his heat exactly once. The only place that meant true love was Disney films.

  
No, he had to keep his head down and help Raven get funds.

  
But by God, it was grating. Ten days of this and he’d had six Irish coffees; moreover, he’d taken to hiding in the omega restroom five floors up. It was there his phone made a sound he’d not realised he missed now.

  
It was a picture of the cutest, fluffiest baby he’d ever seen.

  
_Nina Edith Magdalena Lehnsherr  
Born April 3rd 2018_

  
He felt himself choke up. Must be stress.

  
_Congratulations, sir. That is wonderful news._

   
Lehnsherr replied mere seconds later.

  
_The tests came back. She’s alpha!_

  
Charles smirked. Likely he would not have added that  snippet if they’d had any other tidings.

  
_How lucky. You must be very proud._

  
_She’s perfect, Charles! That’s what she is. Perfection._

  
He smiled.

  
_Naturally._ Then he added:

  
_I hope Mrs. Lehnsherr makes a speedy recovery._

  
Lehnsherr had been typing something, but suddenly stopped.

  
Charles’ breath stuck in his throat.

  
_Thank you Mr. Xavier,_ he wrote eventually. _Enjoy the rest of your vacation._

  
He replied before he knew what he was doing.

  
_I’m not on vacation._

  
A cascade of moving dots, then Lehnsherr suddenly logged off.

What the...?

  
On the way down, Lehnsherr messaged him again.

  
_Meet me tomorrow. My office. 9 AM._

Charles’ hands shook.

  
_You will want to be at home_ got him one word:

  
_Sharp!_

He sighed. Whatever. It could hardly make things worse.

*

He arrived at eight the following morning, as usual, and had a look at a few reports Azazel wanted resubmitted. Finding, however, that there was no way he could concentrate, he swung by the restroom -

And froze.

“Jesus, Angel, what happened to your eye?”

She flinched. “Go away.”

He walked towards her. “This looks serious! Should I call Hank? What -”

“I fell, Charles, what do you care, leave me alone.”

“Why shouldn’t I care?” He touched her arm. “Angel?”

“Don’t sweettalk me!” She looked at him, her eyes flashing with hatred. “I’m on to you, Xavier. First you fuck with Lehnsherr, now you’re blowing Shaw as well?”

He felt cold. “What are you talking about?”

“You’re not even that handsome,” she spat. “Those weird teeth, that stupid nose... felt the need to compensate, huh? How many alphas have you had, anyway?”

He breathed in. “What’s your point?”

“I told Shaw I might need some help, hey presto, there you are. Were you tracking my heat days?”

He frowned. “Are you pregnant?”

She grimaced.“Like you didn’t know? You showed up the very same day I told HR...”

He took out his phone. “I’m calling Hank. Right now.” 

She screeched. “Mind your own damn business!”

“Angel, this is ground for an immediate divorce. The money’s yours by next week! Hank will find a shelter...”

“I don’t want a shelter!”

“He attacked your baby,” he said, hardly believing his own words.“Your alpha attacked your baby.”

She lifted her chin. “And whose fault is that?”

He stuffed his phone into his pocket, then reached out a hand. “Sweetheart, I can help you. My sister, she can help you. She works cases like yours -”

“O, you wish.” She laughed. “You’re not kicking me out that easily.”

“I don’t want your job!”

“Too late!” She wiped her eyes, smudging a ton of concealer. “I trusted you...”

His phone bleeped with a reminder of his 9 o’clock appointment. “I’ll fix this,” he said, pulling his fingers through his hair. “I promise you I’ll fix this. But please call Hank!”

She bared her teeth. “I hate you.”

He shrugged, then nearly ran to Lehnsherr’s office.

“Sir, there’s been a terrible mistake -”

With one look at Lehnsherr’s face, he stilled. “Sir?”

“I said, I believe, nine sharp,” Lehnsherr said, voice ice cold. “Can you, or can you not, follow such simple instructions?”

Charles hung his head. “My apologies.”

He closed the door. Emma avoided his gaze.

“Please love, you saw what happened the other day,” he said. “You know it’s not like that.”

She smiled, sadly. “I told you to stop what you’re doing, right, sugar? But you never listen to anyone.”

He closed his eyes. “True.” He waited till his phone sprang from 8:59 to 09:00.“Can I go in?”

She shrugged. “Best not make him wait.”

Charles bit his lip, straightened his shirt and knocked.

“Yes, enter.”

Lehnsherr was standing next to the conference table. He looked to a chair. “Sit down.”

Involuntarily, Charles flashed back to all the other things they’d done at that very table, but he controlled himself. “Thank you, sir.”

Lehnsherr turned around. “I believe congratulations are in order.”

Charles swallowed. “Sir, about that -”

“No, no,” Lehnsherr said. “A sizeable promotion, at a substantial raise no less.” He sniffed. “You must have made an impression.”

“It can’t have been a favourable one,” Charles said softly. “I spent the last two weeks being screamed at, or pelted with coffee.”

Lehnsherr smirked. “That does sound like you.”

“And still Mr. Shaw promotes me,” Charles said softly. “Don’t you think that’s - odd?”

Lehnsherr pressed his lips together. “Mr. Shaw has a fine nose for talent,” he said. “He must have glimpsed something that Azazel overlooked.”

“Mr. Shaw is a psychopath,” Charles snapped. Lehnsherr looked back. “I know the type. He’ll burn this whole place to the ground so he can rule over the wreckage.” He stood up. “You know Angel and Azazel used to be a power couple? First he split them up here, now he’s killing their marriage -”

“Yes, Charles, I know how he works!”

Charles froze. Lehnsherr shook his head. “You’re so drunk on your own cleverness, Xavier, that you always disregard your greatest asset.”

Charles blinked. “And what is that?”

“You’re invisible!”

His throat hurt. “Thank you, sir. Thank you for that.”

Lehnsherr sighed. “Do you think Shaw would have noticed another typist? Or even another assistant? But I leave you alone for two seconds...”

Charles swallowed. “Why didn’t you warn me?”

“Why can’t you just do as you’re told?”

Charles lifted his head. “I’m crazy, sir. You’ve said so yourself.”

Lehnsherr buried his face in his hands, then shook his head. “Don’t fight him, OK? Play dumb, don’t take his ‘offers’. I can get you reassigned -”

“There’s no need, sir,” Charles said softly.

“Look, it may take a few months, but I am sure -” 

“Sir, I quit.”

Lehnsherr stared for five whole seconds. Then he whispered: “You can’t!”

“This is my official notice. If you would tell Mr. Shaw -”

“Listen, Charles, don’t get dramatic. I will get you through this, I promise I will.”

“And what about Angel?”

He stopped. “What about her?”

Charles shook his head. “Goodbye, sir. I’ll send my resignation through Emma.”

Lehnsherr shook his head as Charles put back his chair, apparently at loss for words. But when Charles gave him one last nod, he swallowed.

“Did you expect to get a reference?”

Charles felt the blood drain from his face. He crossed his arms.

“I would rather think I’d earned that,” he said slowly. “Sir.”

Lehnsherr smiled. It looked unpleasant.

“Under regular circumstances, perhaps. But Mr. Shaw will not be happy.”

“I have a right to a reference-”

“You don’t. It’s not a right, Charles,” Lehnsherr said softly. “A reference is a courtesy.”

He walked towards him. Charles felt a strange urge to back away. “Come to my house,” he said, mouth close to Charles’ ear. “Meet my family. And I’ll write you the best reference you’ve ever seen.”

Charles looked up. “That is blackmail.”

“No, Charles,” he whispered. “It’s a promise.”

Charles turned around. “No thanks, sir.”

Lehnsherr hissed. “For God’s sake!” He grabbed Charles’ arm, and after one moment’s hesitation, pulledhim close and…

Kissed him.

Charles went completely limp. This wasn’t – couldn’t be happening. There were too many sensations, Lehnsherr’s palm on his head, the way he cradled their bodies together, locked in an embrace as close, and yet more intimate, than knotting. A tear escaped Charles’s eye, and Lehnsherr brushed it away with a stroke of his thumb, before touching their lips together again and coaxing him open, stealing his breath, his hands on Charles’ hair, his face, the softest part of Charles’s neck. When he stopped, he pulled him nearer, cheek to cheek.

“Darling…”

His grip slackened, and Charles angled his body in a bid to get away. Lehnsherr grabbed his shoulder.

“Charles?”

He swallowed. “Are there things that alphas wouldn’t take?”

Lehnsherr tensed his jaw. “Friday. My house. Eight o’clock. I’ll send a car.”

Charles shook his head, then turned away. “Good day, sir.”

He started walking, not caring much where he was going, until he found the nearest restroom. There he sank down.

His first kiss. He stole his first kiss.

He’d never even conceived of such a thing. How many hours had he spent dreaming, picturing, hell, even practicing it? His kiss was for his mate.

And Lehnsherr just - took it.

There could be no doubt of his intentions now. Charles could even demand it, if he were so inclined – Lehnsherr had taken something sacred, an act of unquestionable bonding, something to seal a union by. He’d gone ahead and done it, and Charles could have his head.

But his kiss.

If this were a romance novel, the path was crystal clear. A passionate embrace. Triumphant wedding. 200 happy kids.

He felt empty.

He couldn’t very well do nothing. Compensation was in order, in the least. A lot of it. More than the price of any wedding. Many alphas did not care about their mate’s experience, nowadays, and the money could provide him with a nice nest egg –

He. Took.His.Kiss!

His mouth kept tingling as he brushed it with his hand, his lips swollen and alien.

He had no right. No right!

But he couldn’t forget his touch. No one had ever touched him like that, not even Mum or Raven. Brian’s touch, what he still knew of it, came closest, but of course he’d never kissed him like that, the thought was bizarre, and yet he’d felt, for a fraction of a second-

Home.

His phone beeped.

_I’ve told Shaw you’re sick. Called a car to drive you home. If you want it._

He bit back a sob.

_Thank you, sir._

He hesitated, but then typed:

_I’ll see you Friday._

He didn’t wait for a reply, but got out, grabbed his things, and left the building.


	7. Exit interview

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s some foreign phrases here. Translation, if needed, is in the end notes.

"You look like a million bucks," Raven said softly.

Charles’ mouth twisted. "Only a million. I must be slipping."

Raven brushed a hand through his hair. "One peep from you and I’m calling Betsy."

"We can still do that," he said. "Whatever happens."

"Charles," she said, and her voice broke. "I feel like I’m throwing you to the wolves."

"Come here," he said, and he embraced her. "I fucked this up, I’ll put it to rights, and knowing you have my back, I couldn’t feel safer."

Raven, however, was nearly hyperventilating. "I’m going to lose my job over this, I just know it."

He coughed."You have a perfectly viable excuse."

She gave him a look. "I’m letting my omega go to an alpha’s house. An alpha who’s just kissed him. _Kissed_ him." She sighed. "Unchaperoned!"

"Then let’s make sure no one finds that out." Charles bit his lip. "Lehnsherr has just as much to lose by going public as we do."

"We could reschedule."

"Would you expect an alpha to reschedule an ordinary dinner invitation over this?"

"This is not an ordinary invitation!"

"For all the world knows, it could be, and we have to keep it that way! Rescheduling makes it official!"

"And would that be so terrible?"

Charles closed his eyes. "We’ve been over this three times, I don’t want him to go full alpha on you."

"That is the most sexist – "

"And you’re being sexist by suggesting I can’t do this on my own." He took a step back. "Look, Raven. If I mess this up, we can go as official as you like. Tell them I felt threatened. Put on a good show. As soon as you found out that your poor omega had been taken advantage of, you took the matter into your own hands, as I’d obviously been too traumatised to think straight." He grinned. "You know I’m a good crier."

She looked at him. "Damn, Charles, I’m starting to think you might pull this off."

Charles snorted. "About time." He took out his phone. "The car should be here shortly."

And it was all very respectable, personal handover, pre-approved route and end time, emergency services on call, they even offered a choice of suppressants. It was like being back at school.

At least the driver didn’t talk.

Alone in the back seat, he allowed a moment for the trembling to take over. God, he was a right mess.

He’d nearly not even dared tell Raven in the beginning. But what was he supposed to do the whole day on his own? He’d been painfully aware that he had no social life to speak of, and the places he could go unchaperoned without facing harassment were few, at least in his price range. As for the state sponsored activities – there was no way Raven wouldn’t find that out, unless he went to the OLF, and, no. He might be crazy, but not insane.

And Raven, that absolute gem, had of course mainly been concerned. Asked if he wanted to see anyone, Irene or one of her colleagues, in case he somehow felt dishonoured, not that she’d ever put it that way…

But no, funnily enough, he had not felt dishonoured. Livid, yes, shocked, but not dishonoured. For all his faults, Lehnsherr had never treated him like he was of no consequence, like so many did on a daily basis. Living like an omega could feel like death by a million little cuts, but Lehnsherr had never made him feel like he disdained him.

Which was a very low bar, as Raven was right to point out. Maybe all the forced time together had been addling his judgment. It was of course extremely common, omega secretaries marrying their alpha bosses, and it was of paramount importance not to get roped in.

Bit late for that.

But still, he had to remember that he’d not wanted this. How much clearer then ‘I resign’ could a person get? What Lehnsherr had done was extreme and… well, at least a tiny bit flattering? What alpha got desperate enough to kiss their intended nowadays? It was straight out of Roman myth.

But that was just it. He had not given his all to escape Cain fucking Marko to get trapped by Erik fucking Lehnsherr, esq. This had to end tonight, or he might have been better off marrying Cain after all.

He leant his face against the window and realised with a shock that they’d passed West 120th.

Columbia.

It was funny how one could go two years without getting near that building at least once. Not that it hadn’t been a deterrent enough, running into Marko, but giving up his studies had broken him a little bit. Whatever else he had done, Marko had fought very hard to get him accepted, and footed the tuition bill without a single complaint. Would have done more than that. Hell, the promise of a salaried position had very nearly made Charles cave. But he couldn’t be a whore, not even for science.

"West 87th, sir," the driver said, apparently noticing Charles had started fiddling with his phone.

"It’s not too long now."

87th? That wasn’t too close, thank heavens, but he’d somehow gotten it in his head that Lehnsherr lived at West 67th, in or near that frightful new AIRE building. An enormous phallic symbol and a veritable omega compound, or so he had heard. There was no reason to ever leave that complex, and the idea of it scared him to death.

But this… this was lovely.

Walking distance from both Central and Riverside park, they’d entered a residential area that had never much interested him before, as he’d never even contemplated going there other than to pass through. The brownstones were beautiful, of course, but had he stayed, he would of course have lived in Westchester, and now he couldn’t pay for an apartment like this if he sold both his kidneys. And Lehnsherr, the king of shine and metal, lived… here?

That didn’t make sense. This place was both friendly and serene and Lehnsherr was neither, at least not to him.

But there he was, of course, duly notified in advance, checking his identity with the driver in the front before opening the car door himself.

Polite enough, but… impatient.

"Come, Charles. Let’s get you inside."

See, that was presumptuous. He acted as if the deal had already been made.

Charles put on his haughtiest smile. "If you would be so kind."

One moment, Lehnsherr looked at him as if he was about to be offended. But then something in his demeanour shifted.

Aha. The uniform seemed to be doing its work.

You see, that’s what people never understood about omegas. The types most people met in day to day situations had somehow been forced out of their comfort zone. Born to befuddled betas. Immigrants. Those, like him, who had fallen on hard times, or those, again like him, who had not secured a satisfactory match.

But that was not their terrain.

Because omegas were so ridiculously hard to maintain, most of them married among the powerful and wealthy. And that meant that they had centuries upon centuries of memories of influence to draw from.

In other words: whoever tried to intimidate Sharon Xavier’s son at a private dinner party had another think coming.

"I see your guardian isn’t here."

Charles nodded. "As we’ve said before." As that sounded rather sharp, he added: "She sends her regards."

"I'm glad."

Was he? It wasn’t the first time he’d like to know what was going on in Lehnsherr’s head. He let himself get steered by the elbow up the steps to the front door. Uncharacteristic or not, Lehnsherr seemed to grow an inch with every step he took. This was very much his turf.

"We live in the back," he said. "Magda likes the quiet. It hasn’t been very quiet, though, not with our little Nina, she –"

"Sir!" Charles let out, and this time he didn’t care if it was sharp toned. Lehnsherr turned to him rather abruptly. "What does Mrs. Lehnsherr think about all this?"

Lehnsherr smiled. "Magda can speak for herself," he said. "You’ll like that about her." He opened the front door.

Charles stayed outside. "You haven’t told her, have you?"

"I wanted you to meet."

Charles took a breath. "Sir, you can’t just spring these things on people. How do you think she’s going to react if I tell her –"

"Then don’t."

"She’s going to find out –"

"Not tonight."

"Isn’t she? What does she think this is?"

"A dinner. And if we don’t go up soon it’ll have gone cold." He held out a hand. "Will you come in?"

Good Lord. If they did decide to go public tomorrow Charles wouldn’t even have to lie. "This isn’t right."

Lehnsherr sighed. "Charles, you’re obviously trying to make up your mind or you wouldn’t have come alone. Won’t you give Magda the chance to do the same thing?"

The sane answer was: ‘No’. The sane answer was: ‘This is not my problem'.

Charles felt himself nod.

Lehnsherr gave him a soft smile. "Thank you." He took Charles’ hand. "Thank you, Charles."

Charles took a breath. "Lead on."

Lehnsherr’s eyes lit up. "It really is beautiful here, Charles. Central Park’s just there. And Riverside. The Lincoln Center’s less than a subway stop, though you can take an Uber, of course." When the lift doors opened, he added: "Columbia is not far –"

Charles took a breath.

"I know that."

He looked askance. "Of course you do." His hand twitched, as if he wanted to reach for him, but didn’t. "I’ve told Magda how smart you are…"

"Why would you do that?"

"What, you think I do not gossip about colleagues?"

Charles snorted. "I’m hardly a colleague."

"Minions then. Underlings." He took Charles’s face into his hands. "O my God she’ll love you!"

Irrelevant, Charles thought to himself. Completely irrelevant.

He felt the strength return to his body, and politely loosened himself out of Lehnsherr’s grip. Lehnsherr merely nodded and straightened his tie. Then the lift opened, and he led him to 4B.

"Welcome to my home."

The door opened, and Charles heard something vaguely jazzlike, lounge music; a rich, slightly sweet smell of cooking food. Light walls over dark wooden floors. Metal finishes that somehow managed to fit in.

Comfy.

As Lehsnherr took his coat, he heard ticking footsteps, a half whispered: "Mensch, Erik, wa –"

In came one of the most striking women Charles had ever seen.

It would have been easy to mistake her for a beta. Even recently pregnant, she was nonetheless on the thin side, apart of course from her belly, that she nonetheless didn’t emphasise. Long slender limbs, deep brown hair in an updo, dark red lips and fierce, kohl rimmed blue eyes. In her thin heels,she stood not much shorter than Lehnsherr. Her dress, again, had an intricate black and grey design, but was knee length and not half as clingy as female omegas usually wore.

"O," she said. "You brought him." 

Erik walked over and put an arm around her waist.  "Magdalein," he said, "may I present Charles Xavier. Charles, this is my wife, Magda."

"Health, happiness and prosperity, madam," Charles said, inclining his head while taking her hand.

She didn’t give him the standard ‘and to you,’ which could be taken as a rebuff. Lehnsherr certainly seemed to think so. Instead she said: "Good evening, Mr. Xavier. I’m sorry but I’ll have to get back to the kitchen straight away. My daughter has only now gone to sleep."

"Naturally. Can I help with anything?"

"No thank you." They started for the living room when she said: "My husband will show you around. Do you want juice or water?"

Charles cleared his throat. "Water, if I may."

She raised an eyebrow. "Of course you may. I offered, did I not." Then she stalked off.

Lehnsherr grinned. "Forgive her, Charles. She’s nervous. We don’t often get visitors."

"No offence taken," Charles said, and let Lehnsherr show him around the apartment. It was as snug as a log cabin. So many books, too, and high windows. The safety plugs belied the presence of children, as did some books on childrearing and picture books. There were many pictures of the Lehnsherrs too, but not of any extended family. The art on the wall was rather minimalistic, possibly as the not clog the space, as it was, as with all apartments, not infinite. How the tv screen fit in there without becoming too much, he didn’t really know, but he admired it.

"You have a beautiful home," he said, and meant it.

Lehnsherr went to the kitchen. "Wir sagen Nina mal hallo, ja?" Then he turned around. "I’m sorry, Charles. My wife and I speak German together. I hope that isn’t a problem."

"It’s never been a problem," Magda said curtly, "as we only do it when we’re alone. And Nina’s asleep."

They heard some gurgling sounds from the baby monitor on the counter. Lehnsherr grinned. "Come Charles."

In a small, hand painted crib, a baby girl was looking up at them. Lehnsherr picked her up so very carefully, then held her against his chest. "Hallo Häschen," he whispered. "Hello my sweet." The baby kept gurgling, but didn’t fuss, just nestled herself against his shoulder. "Tag Ninele," he whispered again. "Tag Ninilein."

When he looked up, his eyes were honestly misty. "I’ve wanted a child for so long," he said. "Would have had six by now, if it were up to me. But Magda never really felt ready."

Charles shifted. "How long have you been married?"

"Fourteen years," Lehnsherr said. "Officially."

That was an extraordinarily long time to leave an alpha without issue. Had he married, Charles would have caved long before that, he was sure. The pressure must have been immense – and she'd withstood it?

…Who was this woman?

Charles wasn’t surprised when Lehnsherr handed him the baby – people always did that, as if he knew some magic spell – but he was surprised at the softness of his movements. It was one thing for alphas to beam and boast, but very few actually handled babies, and when they did, never without awkwardness. His own father, Brian, only ever snuck in to read him stories when he felt himself completely unobserved, and Sharon never felt compelled to read anyone stories, omega or no, it was a very rare occurrence altogether.

Was Magda as hands o-

"OK, now, that’s enough," they heard, as Magda walked into the babies’ room. "She’s exhausted, Erik, show her off some other time." She took her, no less careful, and cradled her against her chest. "Na, Süsse?" she said. "Is Papa being impossible again?" Then she turned back. "Dinner is ready, Mr. Xavier, my husband will show you your seat."

Yes, well, that confirmed it. He was about as welcome as a venomous snake.

That did make things easier, in a sense. Hard enough to reject one Lehnsherr, let alone two. But he felt himself reluctant to press the issue, and not just because they hadn’t even sat down yet.

He was tempted, he might as well admit it to himself.

It was impossible, of course. Unthinkable, at least.

But –

No. No! He was Charles Xavier!

But wouldn’t it be easier than spending his life fighting ridiculous odds? He’d never wanted to be a rebel. He wanted a postdoc and a comfy office chair.

The Lehnsherrs wouldn’t give him that.

No. But this came close. It was pleasant. It was quiet. The two parks were a lot like Westchester. If you squint.

Though this was marriage. Not a rental. And Mrs. Lehnsherr hated him –

She really did. She was seethingly polite about it, but Charles had never seen anyone bar Mum pour Pellegrino that icily.

Thank heavens, then, that he could chitchat on autopilot. He needed a little more time than the soup to figure out his next move –

"Erik, wie konntest du mir das antun!"

Mrs. Lehnsherr’s shoulders sagged. Her face crumpled. She was gasping as if someone had hit her in the solar plexus.

Lehnsherr didn’t move.

"English, dear."

She hissed, bit her lip, but when she looked up her eyes were a steely blue.

"You want him to know exactly what I think of him? Because Erik, my love, I can do that."

"Charles has done nothing wrong."

She grimaced. "You wanted this child. And the first thing you do is take up with another –"

Erik frowned. "I am not having this conversation again. If you don’t want to understand my job, I can’t make you, but –"

"Damn right you can’t make me." She looked to Charles. "Why do you even want this?"

Charles swallowed. "What do you mean, exactly, Mrs. Lehnsherr?"

"Why would you want someone who’d cast you aside that easily the second you get pregnant?"

Lehnsherr stood up. "I’m not casting you aside, Magda!" He looked genuinely shocked.

"You’re trying to replace me. After what they did to your own mother."

He frowned. "Don’t talk about Mama."

"Why shouldn’t I talk about her? You never used to shut up. 'Oh, I’m going to blow up the Politbüro, I’m gonna shoot Honecker.' Now look at you."

Lehnsherr took a breath. "Magda, you’re being rude."

"Good." She turned to Charles. "My husband is married. To me. You can go home now."

Charles let out a breath. "I don’t want to marry your husband, Mrs. Lehnsherr."

Lehnsherr looked like he’d been shot through the heart, and Magda closed her mouth.

"Then what are you doing here?"

"Your husband ordered me to come."

Lehnsherr frowned. "I didn’t order you."

He smiled. "No, not as such." He looked at Lehnsherr, but as no sound seemed forthcoming, he leant back in his chair. "Your husband kissed me, Mrs. Lehnsherr. After I’d given my notice earlier this week."

She looked at him for several agonising moments. "I don’t believe you."

He sniffed. "Do you want a blow by blow description?"

She shook her head. "Erik’s not that stupid."

Charles merely smiled. "Believe what you like. I can present several witnesses in court –"

"I do believe you kissed him,"  she said, "but – "

Erik moved. "Liebes! Bitte!"

Charles laughed. "Honestly, Mrs. Lehnsherr. If I’d wanted to snog anyone for money I would have been well off in Riyadh by now." He smirked. "If I’d want to throw myself at anyone, I wouldn’t start with him."

Magda looked sideways. "Why not? You’ve done it before."

Charles blinked. "That was an accident."

Magda lifted her chin. "Then why didn’t you go to the protection room? Erik says you have those."

"It hadn’t been reinforced. That’s been amended now." He nodded curtly at Lehnsherr. "Thank you, sir."

Magda closed her eyes. "You begged him not to call a rescue team," she said. "Erik swore."

Charles looked down. "That is true. I couldn’t have afforded it."

She smiled. "So you do need money."

Charles’s head snapped up. "Stop flattering yourself! As charming as this place may be, you’re hardly the Rothchilds here."

Lehnsherr moved, but Magda held him back. "You could have taken suppressants," she said softly.

"Yes," Charles said. "But your husband didn’t want to."

She turned to him. He jerked. "I couldn’t have."

She lifted her eyebrows. He turned around. "I don’t ask you to understand how it feels. But it could have lost me a deal. Several. My job, even."

She shook her head. "So you raped him."

He turned back. "I did no such thing." He looked at him. "Charles!"

"No, he didn’t force me," Charles said quickly. "I’ve never said he did. He didn’t hurt me, Mrs. Lehnsherr. Not that time. Hardly ever." 

She turned white. "He hurt you?"

"Nothing permanent," Charles said. "Nothing serious either. Look, Mrs. Lehnsherr, I would hardly say I’m a model employee. That’s really not the issue."

She turned to her husband. "Why would you hurt him?"

Charles felt dizzy. "Your husband didn’t assault me, Mrs. Lehnsherr. I would never claim he had."

"But he hurt you."

Charles shook. "Look, things will happen! Late nights, too much coffee. You can’t always stay professional, it’s really no big deal."

She turned around. "I can’t believe what I’m hearing," she said. "Please, Erik – no."

Lehnsherr walked to her. "I told you things are different here. I did what was expected."

"Why would that be expected?" She turned to Charles. "What about the other times? Did he hurt you then?"

"Hardly ever, Mrs. Lehnsherr, like I said!" Charles sank down. "Could I please have some soup?"

"Did you ask him to hurt you?"

"Mrs. Lehnsherr, please," Charles sighed. "It is my job. I don’t very much enjoy data entry, either, but needs must."

She looked to Erik. "Did he want this, Erik? Did you ask him? Has he ever said no? Has he ever said stop?" When he didn’t answer, her voice got cold. "Erik, did you rape him?"

"Will you ever let that propaganda shit go?" Erik said. "Engelchen, we’re not betas. We’re free now. We don’t have to pretend." He looked to Charles. "They like that here!"

She closed her eyes. "Get your checkbook."

He blinked. "What?"

"Get your checkbook, or I’m out. With Nina. It’s your choice." When she looked at him, her eyes were glistening with tears. "I don’t know what happened to you, Erik. This country, or that man. But I’ve had enough." She pointed to the door. "Na, los!"

To Charles’s immense surprise, Lehnsherr retreated.

The lounge music felt entirely obscene all of a sudden.

"Mrs. Lehnsherr, please," Charles said. "There’s no need for this." 

"There’s every need." She swallowed. "I’m sorry, Mr. Xavier. I’m sorry about what you’ve been through. I’m sorry I didn’t stop it. I never thought it was possible, or I would have acted before."

His throat hurt. "It wasn’t your fault."

She swallowed. "Maybe a little. I thought he was a better man." She coughed. "So what’s the going rate?"

At that moment, Charles too wished he were better. But there had been too much pain before this point, so he said: "Fifty thousand."

She blinked. "What?"

Charles looked down. "Twenty is the bare minimum, in case there is no wedding. With costs that’s never less than thirty five. But if the settlement is higher, sixty is more likely, so that’s why most parties settle for fifty. The no disclosure is included."

She shuddered. ‘We don’t have that kind of money right now. Not cash, anyway."

"People don’t expect that. Usually they start with ten percent as a token of good will. That’s enough for both sides to hire a lawyer." Charles smirked. "Unless, of course, both parties prefer duelling."

When Lehnsherr returned, he took a step back. Magda, however, didn’t flinch, just filled out the check with a steady hand. "My husband will contact your lawyer, I presume."

"And my guardian." He dipped a hand into his pocket. "Here’s her card."

Lehnsherr sniffed. "You came prepared." He handed him the check, then pocketed the checkbook with fast, angry movements.

Charles looked down. "Sir."

Lehnsherr turned away. "I’ll get your coat. Dinner’s ruined anyway."

When he walked off again, Charles turned to Magda. "Here’s one more card. My sister helps omegas that need it. Call if you can."

"Thank you, Mr. Xavier." A tear slid down her cheek. "I wish we hadn’t met like this."

He knew it was forward, but he squeezed her hand. "Charles. My name’s Charles."

"Magda." When Lehnsherr came back she turned her head away. "Goodbye." 

Charles let Lehnsherr help him into his coat, then followed him out in icy silence, relieved that the taxi would be a maximum of five minutes away. But downstairs, Lehnsherr held him back.

"Here’s your reference. As promised."

Charles took the envelope with a lump in his throat. He noticed it was rather thick.

He looked up. "What else is inside, sir?"

Lehnsherr looked at him. "Hank’s lab report. You were not drugged that day, Xavier. No traces of any intoxicating substance were found anywhere. Same for hormones." His mouth twisted.

Charles looked away. "I suppose it doesn’t matter now, regardless."

"No."

They didn’t speak until the taxi came. When Lehnsherr helped him inside, his hand lingered near Charles’s lapel.

Charles looked at him. "Goodbye, Mr. Lehnsherr."

Now it was Lehnsherr who gasped as if hurt, brusquely pulled his hand back and turned to go inside.

He didn’t, though, but stood on the sidewalk until the taxi drove off.

Once it turned the corner of home, Raven ran outside and nearly pulled him out of the taxi through the window.

"Charles? You OK? What happened? How’d it go?"

Charles only dipped his hand into his breast pocket and took out the check.

Raven squealed. "Irene, come outside and hug my genius brother!"

He let them bring him in, pet him, praise him. They opened champagne and let him have some, and after three glasses Irene started reminiscing about a house.

Raven looked shocked, but Charles shook his head. "No, no, you’re right. You two should be allowed to go on with your life."

Irene looked guilty. "I’d never ask Raven to do anything that hurt you, Charles. I know you two are in this together."

"Uhuh," he said, sipping some more bubbly. He saw Raven frown at the toxicology report. "Something wrong?"

"Probably not. I’ll check at work." Then she ruffled his hair. "You are a genius, professor X."

"I’ll drink to that." He drained his glass, then pushed it away. "Or not, I’ve barely eaten."

"I’ll make you beans on toast." And when Irene pulled a face: "You don’t have to eat it, potato girl."

‘Fair enough.’ She laughed. ‘So, you think you’re free of Shaw’s place? After this?"

"Yes," Charles said. "I don’t see why not."

And he didn’t think of work that night.

Instead, he dreamt of Magda.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wir sagen Nina mal hallo, ja? :We’re saying hi to Nina, OK?  
> Tag: day/ here: hi  
> -Ele -lein little  
> Häschen: bunny  
> Süsse: Sweet/pretty one  
> Politbüro: governing body of the German Democratic Republic  
> Wie konntest du mir das antun: How could you do this to me?  
> Liebes! Bitte! My dear! Please!  
> Engelchen: little angel  
> Na, los: hurry up already


	8. Coffee break

“Charles Xavier speaking,” Charles said into the landline.

He’d left out ‘Darkholme residence’, because sometimes pettiness was all that kept him sane.

“This is Magda Lehnsherr.”

“O my God.” He clutched the receiver to his ear. “Um – you – are you OK? Do you want to order pizza?”

There was a silence at the end of the line. “...no?”

“Cause you can,” he said. “You totally can. Just say a pizza pepperoni and I’ll have somebody over like ASAP.” He breathed out. “O God.”

“I do not want to order a pizza.”

“Is he in the room?”

“Who, Erik?”

“Magda, are you safe?”

“I am confused.”There was a pause. “Charles, are you alright?”

He shook his head. “Isn’t that the code? For when someone’s in the room? Cause I don’t want him to hurt you, Magda, please…”

She snorted. “Erik wouldn’t hurt me.” Then she laughed again. “O, Charles, you are sweet.”

“Yeah, well – he could – ”

“Erik slept with a stuffed duck till he was twenty.” She laughed. “There. He really would have stopped me if he had been in the room.”

“Oh, yeah,” Charles said. Then he frowned. “Twenty?”

“‘Der Entmeister’, he called him.” She giggled. “So write that down if you really want to hurt him some day.”

He looked at the phone. “Mrs. Lehnsherr, why are you calling me?”

She waited, less than a heartbeat. “I wanted to speak to you.”

He cleared his throat. “Um…”

“There’s this café,” she said. “Couple of blocks from our house. Teeming with kids, but private.”

That was code, and it meant ‘No alphas’, most likely because of the aforementioned kids.

She sounded hesitant. “Could we meet?”

“Now?” Charles said.

“If you want.”

He sighed. “Does Mr. … does Erik know this?”

“No.” She sounded firm.

“Because if this is about the agreement, I shouldn’t be speaking to you.” 

“Why not?” She said. “We’re not formal parties in this conflict, isn’t that right?”

He bit his lip. “Technically.” He took a breath. “But they’re not going to like it.” He softened. “Erik is not going to like it.”

“Good,” she said. “Serves him right.”

Charles blinked. “Magda, are you sure you’re alright?”

He heard a muffled sound, but when she spoke, her voice was clear.

“If I needed your sister’s help, I would have called her directly. Though you were very right to put us in contact.”

“Then why are you calling?” he said.

“Charles,” she said, and she sounded very brittle.

“Charles, he needs you.”

*

He almost hadn’t gone. No one’d have faulted him. This was seriously beyond the pale, sending a first omega to mitigate the severity of damage payments. For God’s sake.

But perhaps he could convince Magda otherwise. The longer Charles knew him, the skeevier Lehnsherr looked, though he had given him an excellent reference. But something like this – that man was bad news.

And Magda seemed the type that actually could go through with a divorce. The cost of living was much lower in Berlin, too, by his estimation. He still remembered the news about the fall of the Wall in 1999; no bloodbath, like the one in 1989. Eastern Europe had splintered before, but East Germany had held out insanely long regardless. It was one of these facts of life: the wall was there to stay, and some places you just didn’t visit. He hadn’t much cared, at ten; nobody was going to let him travel there regardless, and he knew no chaperone who’d have wanted to go. But that meant it was dirt cheap; Magda must be able to live quite comfortably now on half of Lehnsherr’s assets. Especially if she wanted to emigrate, she would have no trouble getting it all granted. And children always went with the omega.

He’d always had mixed feelings about this law – as if one instance of sexist privilege made up for all the rest of it – but he’d never been above using whatever scrap of advantage he could, he’d had to.

The train pulled into the station and he exited quickly to avoid any wandering hands. He could have called a cab, but their legal fund wouldn’t last long if he carried on like that. Luckily, he saw Magda waiting with her baby as soon as he’d mounted the stairs.

She had a much softer look this time; hair down and barely any makeup; a flowing dress that could have said ‘hipster’ but read mostly old world to him.

He took her hand. “Mrs. Lehnsherr.”

She smiled. “Thank you for coming, Charles.”

She too was a little distant, but that likely was not to give anyone the wrong idea. Two omegas together often made young alphas act very obnoxious, and there was no escaping the porn.

“How are you?” he said, and she gave him a ‘very well’, but did not elaborate. Nina, again, was asleep.

They started walking in silence. Charles took the time to check for injuries, but she didn’t seem overly skittish or stiff; her arms and neck were bare, and her face unblemished. That didn’t say everything, but as she was out, too, whatever happened couldn’t have been too bad.

Magda cleared her throat. “The – eh - the weather is good.”

“Yes?”

She hunched her shoulders. “Sorry, Charles, I’m not good at small talk.” 

He spluttered. “Sorry.”  Then he laughed out loud. “Dear Lord there is two of you!”

She blinked. “What?” 

Charles was still giggling. “Lehnsherr is the bluntest person I have ever met,” he said, and then he laughed again. “O, crikey. Two Lehnsherrs. We're done for. My God.” 

She smiled. “You’re waking up Nina.” 

“Yes, ma’am.” And then he kept laughing. “I’m sorry. I’m rude. But two of you. O dear.” He smiled. "How are you still alive?”

She looked away. “We don’t have many friends.”

He stopped. “Magda, no. I’d never mean that.”He bit his lip. “I’m so sorry.”

She sighed. “People here ask so many questions. That they don’t want the answer to.”

He nodded. “I know. I understand how it can be confusing.”

“Not confusing,” she said. “Dangerous.”

He looked up. “Dangerous?”

“Suppose you don’t want things known,” she said. “Talking about nothing. That’s how things slip out.”

He felt himself stiffen. “Magda, are you hiding something? Is Erik hiding something?”

She looked at him. “See, Charles, that’s a stupid question. Would I tell you if he were?”

He stood still. “Can we back up a second?”

“What?”

He looked at her. “Mrs. Lehnsherr, will you tell me what this is about?”

“Let’s sit down first, Charles, please.” She pointed at a gate, leading to a garden. “They dohave good coffee.”

It was a beautiful community garden, with nay an alpha in sight. Funny how that always relaxed people, even Magda, who lingered over Nina’s pram when she parked near a table. “I never thought I’d love her this much.”

Charles swallowed. “That’s good. It’s not the same, making babies and loving them.” Then he sat down. “Magda.”

She kept standing. “Why did you say no?”

He blinked. “Didn’t you want me to?”

“Yes, I did. But I couldn’t have stopped you. Why did you say no?”

“Despite the obvious?”

“But it isn’t obvious. Not to many people. Not to him.”

“That’s because he doesn’t take no for an answer.” He took a breath. “Look, Magda, it’s very simple. I do not want to marry him, I told him, that’s it.” He looked away. “I’d hoped at least you’d take me at my word.”

“Then why did you come to dinner?”

“You’ve already asked me that.”

“But you’ve never really given me an answer.”

“I don’t owe you an answer.”

“Bullshit.” Her voice was so soft he wasn’t sure he’d really heard her. But she went on:

“You come into my house for what is, essentially, a courting ritual. The least you can do is tell me why you put me through that.”

“Your husband made me do it –”

“No, Charles, he did not.” She sighed. “Sorry. But you had a couple of options, and none of your actions really make sense.”

“Well then, say hello to Crazy Charlie.” He felt his mouth twist. “I don’t make sense, as anyone who’s met me for five minutes can attest. In fact, your husband…”

Magda smirked. “You’re not crazy,” she said. “I think you’re very clever, and I think you don’t want other people to know.”

He bowed his head. “Well, thank you, ma’am.”

“And you’re charming bordering on schmaltzy.” She ducked into her bag. “Here.”

Charles took the envelope with trepidation. “What’s this?”

“It’s a bank statement.”

Indeed it was, stamped an hour ago, for -

“$50,000?” Charles said. “No fees?”

“They’re in another check, but fees paid by us, as is usual.” She smiled. “Your sister drives a hard bargain.” 

“Excuse me,” he said, and dove for his phone. 

_They came thru?_

A storm of dots and Raven replied:

_OMG yes, emergency case or I would have called_

He shot back.

_Splendid, speak soon, love u_

He looked at her. “Thank you. Thank you, Magda.”

She sighed. “Now, please will you talk to me?”

He looked away. “It wouldn’t make any difference,” he said, and when Magda interjected, “I was considering it, Mrs. Lehnsherr, but for all the wrong reasons. You’re well out of it.”

“I don’t think so,” she said softly.

He snorted. “You were planning to murder me,” he said.

She frowned. “I was trying to scare the man who was trying to steal my husband,” she said. “That’s not who I met.”

“Regardless, Magda, I do-”

“There’s something between you,” Magda said. “Erik would never…” She bit her lip. “And any fool can see it. I’d much rather have it be you than –”

“But see, we don’t have to stand for that, Magda!” Charles said. “Not you, not anyone! You can pack up Nina and leave, right now, you have more reason than anyone living –”

They were drawing shocked stares from the crowd. Charles looked back. “It’s true, isn’t it?”

Magda smiled. “Come to dinner again, Charles,” she said. “As a friend. No strings attached.”

“I can’t, Magda,” he said. “I won’t give him hope where there is none. Either of you, it turns out.”He shook his head. “If you need me to save your marriage, perhaps it should die.”

“I will never leave Erik,” she said resolutely. “And he’ll certainly never leave me. So there’s no point discussing that. But you’re in this, Charles, so we might as well look at this rationally.”

He frowned. “Not you too.” He stood up. “I’m sorry to be disobliging, Mrs. Lehnsherr, but if I were to expect anyone to believe no means no, it is you.”

“You’re not sorry to be dis… diso… whatever that word meant,” she snapped back. “What you are is a liar.” She waved away a server. “I’m going.”

“I have not lied to you,” Charles said. “If you want to blame me for your troubles, go ahead. It’s not like we have to see each other again.”

“A liar is a person whose actions don’t match their words,” she said. “You’ve made us both believe that you want to marry Erik. Maybe. You have been playing with our feelings, and that either makes you cruel, Charles, or a liar.”

“Your husband has been playing with my feelings since day one!” Charles said.

“And you think that gives you the right to play with mine?” she shot back. “Erik’s tied up in knots, analysing every word you ever said, and you, you won’t even tell me why. That’s despicable.”

“I can’t marry him, Magda,” Charles said softly.

“Then why?” she said. “Why make us think you could?”

“Because I wanted out,” he said. “Out of this life, out of that house, out!” He sank down. “Magda, I’m sorry.”

She fixed his gaze. “Then say yes.”

“I can’t.” He swallowed. “Honest to God, Magda, I can’t.”

She looked down. “Erik’s is a good man –”

“I couldn’t if he were saint George himself.” He breathed in. “I can’t marry, Magda. I can’t marry anyone.”

In the pram, Nina started fussing. “She’ll be hungry,” Magda said, opening the front of her dress. “I – Mensch Charles, this…”

“I could do with some coffee myself,” Charles said. He felt his body sagging. “Should I get you something? Unless you shouldn’t…”

“This monster only sleeps during the daytime,” Magda said. “I need coffee more than air.”

Charles winced. “She’s not a monster,” he said.

“No,” Magda said. “No, she’s my Ninalein.” She shook her head. “Sorry, I didn’t expect that.”

“What did you expect?” Charles said wryly.

She put Nina to her breast. “Anything. Maybe Nina scared you off, or I did. And well – what Erik has done, it’s extreme. But there must have been a reason for it.”

“That doesn’t explain why you would want to marry me,” Charles said.

“I wouldn’t be marrying you,” she said. “Not really.” She looked down. “Sorry Charles, Nina needs a little help.”

“I’ll get the coffee.” Make that a latte with two extra shots, as they wouldn’t serve him Irish. He watched Magda as he waited for his order. She seemed to love her baby well enough, but he’d seen pictures of him with Mum where she’d looked much the same, and he knew, in his heart of hearts, that she’d never really wanted him. And the same sick devotion to an alpha – why could no one see what was right in front of them, that most alphas turned into overbearing monsters because they could get away with it? Why was she practically begging him to marry her alpha, if she could be free of him, free of anyone meddling in her life? He’d cost her more than fifty K, what on earth was he offering?

And then he saw a look on her face that made him choke up. Nobody had ever looked at him like that, except maybe Dad, except maybe…

Except maybe Lehnsherr.

Well, fuck.

He took her a drip coffee – Lehnsherr liked drip – and his own latte, as Magda continued nursing. She smiled at him as he sat down. “What a day.”

“Quite.” He took a sip. “Since we’re talking straight – did Erik put you up to this?”

“I’d like to see him try.” She looked down. “Charles, about what you said –”

“Hm.”

“Why? Your guardian won’t let you marry?” 

“Raven?” He laughed. “She wouldn’t mind to see the back of me.”

She winced. “That sounds harsh.”

“It is harsh. Harsher then she’d admit to herself. No.” He sighed. “No, I’m bound by feudalism.”He shook his head. “It’s a long story, boring, and it won’t change anything.”

She smiled. “Sounds like home. Hit me.”

He smirked. "Omegas get dowries, yes? For the most part. Not inheritances.”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, it makes much more sense. As anything some omega owns is another’s anyway. It makes sense to set them up as early as possible.”

“Does it?”

“Look, some alpha is going to be responsible for this person their whole life. The least anyone could ask for is a little compensation.”

She looked up. “Charles, are you OK?”

“I’m splendid. Splendid.” He choked up. “Look, I know a first world problem when I see one, but if I’d been born anything other than omega, I…” He closed his eyes. “As soon as I marry, my alpha controls everything I own, that’s why I can’t inherit, then. Or pass anything on.”

“Is that why you won’t marry?”

“O, no. It’s not that simple.Some alpha could endow me. Even after death. It’s what Brian meant to do.”

“Who is Brian?”

“My papa. My darling father. My daddykins. Who died on me when I was eight, and fed me to the Markos.”

Magda signalled for a waiter. “Could you get my friend some water?” She looked at him. “Do you want a tissue?”

“No, I want a cuppa.” He sniffled. “And a Jaffa cake.” He laughed. “They never have Jaffa cakes over here.”

The server blinked. “Does that mean tea?”

“Earl Grey. Hot.” He wiped his face as the server retreated. “Sorry, Magda. I told you it was a long story.”

“I have time,” she said, “little Miss here won’t let me go anywhere too soon. Ouch!” She scowled down. “Go on, Charles, I could do with the distraction.”

Charles said nothing.

“Your father died young, then?”

“He was physicist. He got radiation poisoning. Some freak accident.”

“And he left you nothing?”

Charles snorted. “He wanted to. Wanted to give me everything. But he couldn’t. So he left things to my Mum.”

“Your mother was a beta?”

“Is. And no. She’s as omega as they come.” He nodded as the server brought his tea. “He’d appointed her guardian before. That isn’t unusual. She’d have full use of his estate then.”

“And you?”

“She could have endowed me.”

“Isn’t that the same thing? Being endowed or inheriting?” 

“Practically, yes. Technically, not so much.” He took a sip. “Endowment is an active decision by the guardian. You can’t do it before your child has presented, and you can choose not to do it at all.”

Magda shook her head. “This is straight out of Grimm’s tales. We don’t do that in the GDR. Or – well, we didn’t.”

“Sounds great.”

Magda brought Nina to her shoulder, quite clearly to burp her, but something told Charles she didn’t want to look him in the eye. “Is that why you won’t marry? Your mother won’t approve?”

“She might or she mightn’t. But it isn’t up to her.” 

Magda stared at him. “She remarried?”

Charles nodded weakly.

Magda spluttered. “But how could she do that?”

How could she do that? Charles shook his head. He could think of some things, alright, things he didn’t want to share. Instead he said: “She fell in love.”

Nina let out a loud burp.

“Gut so, Liebchen,” she said. Charles nursed both tea and coffee as Magda tucked her back in, and they sat in silence for a while as Magda finally drank hers. Then she looked up.

“Your stepfather,” she said. “He’s not your guardian.”

Charles shook his head. “No, I’ve been emancipated.”

“I’m sorry, Charles,” she said. “That sounds horrible.”

“Better out than in,” he said. “Besides, I may have a chance to contest his claim. And when all else fails, there’s the big 3-5.” He smirked. “If you haven’t married then, they assume you never will, so any money you’re entitled to is yours.”

Magda blinked. “But that must take years.”

“Why, thank you.”

“No, Charles.” Her voice was very soft. “Years without an alpha. Think of all those heats.”

“I can manage,” he mumbled.

“What are you on?” she said. “Anerosol?”

He swallowed. “The generic.”

She took a breath. “For how long?” 

“Why do you ask?”

She blushed. “I’m sorry, Charles. But I’ve seen the toxicology report and it had me a bit worried.”

He shook his head. “And I assume your cycle has been completely predictable, always.”

“No,” she said. “No, it hasn’t.”

Charles saw such a depth of pain in there he stilled. _She was in solitary next to me_ , he remembered Lehnsherr saying. _She’d gone into heat._

“I’m sorry,” he said. “Crikey, Magda, that was insensitive. Do forgive me.”

She laughed. “You English are good with words.”

“Not English,” he said. “More of a mutt. With the finest elocution lessons stolen money can buy.”

Then he looked away. “Magda, you and Erik – your heat… is that how you met?”

“No,” she said curtly.

“Because trauma bonding can be very strong,” he said.

She swallowed. “Charles. I have thought about leaving him. Don’t think I haven’t. But what he’s done… it’s nothing. Not really.”

“But Magda,” he said. “If you wouldn’t accept it from a beta, or another omega, you shouldn’t accept it from an alpha.”

She looked at him. “O, Charles. You know nothing about him. I thought he would have said.”

“Said what?”

“Torgau. Shaw. All of it.”  

“No…?” He blinked. “I mean, once. About Torgau. But I got nothing when I googled it.”

Magda swallowed hard. “Try Kinderkz.”

“What?”

“GJWH Torgau. Closed Youth Camp Torgau. The children’s concentration camp. Some just called it Hell.” She closed her eyes. “It’s on Youtube.”

Charles moved his lips, shook his head. “What? I mean – how…”

“The GDR’s solution to those who didn’t tow the line. I was fourteen. He was sixteen, and we feared him more than death.”

Charles said nothing.

Magda’s look was far away. “When they threw me back in that cell, alone, I could smell him, of course. I thought I was going to die, that they’d let him. But they didn’t, Charles. Because they’d beat him. With a wrench.” She looked down. “His testicles.”

“They beat - his testicles - with a wrench?”

“And then they threw him in next to me.”

Charles gasped for breath.

“If he can endure that,” she said, “for me, because of me, I can take this, too.”

Charles teared up a second time. “Magda, it wasn’t your fault.”

“It wasn’t his, either. But he helped me. He helped me, when he was sobbing with pain. Talked me through it.” She crossed her arms. “Whatever he’s done, I’ve hurt him much worse.”

Charles sighed. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you’ll come to dinner. As a friend. We need friends.” She smiled. “Bring your sister.”

He took her hands. “We’d be honoured. Though perhaps…” Magda looked at him. “A bit more neutral ground? A restaurant, say?”

“Deal.” She smiled. “We’ll take you to Armani.”

Charles decided not to mention he’d already been. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Historical note: "Geschlossener Jugendwerkhof Torgau" was very much a real place. The 'punishments' Magda and Erik endured were, sadly, not made up either. There were multiple suicides, and even more suicide attempts among the child prisoners. There's an exhibition in Saxony where former child prisoners (who were incarcerated there without any form of trial) give tours. 
> 
> As this is an AU, I did postpone the fall of the Berlin Wall for ten years. The Berlin Wall came down in 1989, without a bloodbath, but that was very much not a given at the time. As late as 1988, many historians believed that the GDR would easily last another 40 years.


	9. Union

Lehnsherr twisted a hand in his hair.

“You little tease.” 

Charles gasped. “I won fair and square.” 

“Because you kept looking at me, with that mouth...” He rolled his thumb over it. “And those eyes -”

Charles smirked and looked up at him. “Haven’t played anyone with a mouth before, sir?”

Lehnsherr tightened his grip. “Rematch,” he hissed.

By God, he was dripping. And he’d only just come out of heat. But Lehnsherr smelled so good. If he’d push him back into the coat and fuck him for old times’ sake he’d hardly mind.

He took a breath. “I’d win.”

“Yeah?” Lehnsherr laughed, then leant over and dropped his voice. “Second position.”

On second thought...“Goddammit, Erik, your wife is right there!”

He laughed again. “She’s with Nina. Raven, too. And I won’t be long.”

He blinked. “You’re serious.”

“Well, are you?” he said. Then: “You’ve had your shots?”

“Erik, no!” He wriggled free. “That’s troll logic.”

“You’ve not had your shots?”

“I’ve had my - Christ, Erik, what is wrong with you?”

He looked at him, a faint smile on his lips. “Second position, Xavier.”

His legs nearly gave out. Dear Lord was he getting hard? Hard and hot. Gushing through his pants. Lehnsherr sniffed.

“Charles?”

Oh...

“OK, gotta run, thanks for dinner, bye!” He dashed for his coat. “Raven -”

He felt fingers round his arm. “You’re not going anywhere.”

He froze. “Erik.” He looked up. Swallowed. “This is not supposed to happen.”

“No?” Erik pulled him close. “Fool me once, shame on me,” he purred. “Fool me twice - ”

He felt his cock harden between his legs, his arse still wetter. Erik growled andgrabbed his crotch. “Raven,” Charles gasped. “Raven!”

He heard them both, two pairs of feet, and felt like the omega in Bluebeard. Sister Anne, o, sister Anne...

“Erik.” That was Magda’s voice. “Schatz.”

Erik held him ever tighter, but didn’t move. Magda approached slowly, and eventually wrapped her arms around him from behind. “Let him go,” she whispered. She looked to Charles, and Raven, and nodded.

Raven, too, approached then, very carefully, as Magda pried Erik’s fingers loose. “Alles wird gut, Liebling,” Charles heard Magda whisper, and Raven managed to grab Charles and pull him away.

Erik hissed but still didn’t move.

“Your pills,” Raven whispered.

“Breast pocket,” he panted. “Can’t we leave?”

“Don’t think so,” she said, with a glance at Erik, who was effectively still blocking the door. She pulled him to the bathroom. “Take them. I’ll keep him out till they kick in.” 

“Raven, I’m sorry -”

“Charles. Take the damn pills!”

Charles nodded, and closed the door behind him with trembling hand. He suddenly saw, completely, deeply understood - that unmarried, unchaperoned omegas and alphas should not come within ten feet of each other. Raven, strong though she was, couldn’t hold that without risking serious injury. If not for Magda, she’d hardly buy him enough time for the pills to start working. It was a miracle things didn’t go wrong more often. All of this - his job, his emancipation, nought but hubris. He’d been flirting with desaster, and the jig was up.

No, no. That was the heat talking. His body aching for knot. He could withstand it. He had so often. He just had to wait for the pills to kick in...

But what, ah, what - no -

Of course he’d heard of the side effect. Million in one chance - OK, one in 300.000 but still pretty slim. Negligible, really. Nothing to take into account too much. I mean, he could fall in front of atrain, too. No reason to never leave the house.

But how it hurt.

Slick glands into overdrive. Cock sensitive to the mildest touch. He came in his pants, shivering, shocking through it; his skin was on fire and his neck -

His neck.

Every heartbeat shuddered through him, his cock, his clenching hole, and the gland pumping him full with need, with sheer animalistic want. He’d never really understood the concept of lackingsomething so essential that it could kill you, and

-Fuck need fuck bit claimed please fuck-

“Awl...”

“Charles?”

Raven called him, panicked, as he was twisting up, fruitlessly fucking nothing. “Need al -”

“What’s happening?”

He panted, gasped: “Need- al-pha ouch... need alpha -”

He knelt, pushed down his pants, presenting himself to nothing and no one, hole clenching around useless fingers. To die in the act of love, such a gruwesome thought, but:

“Charles. Love. Open the door.”

That smell like nothing else. Alpha. His alpha. Finally, critically, irrevocably his.

Thank God for this.

The voice was calm. Assured. Completely right. “Xavier. Open. This. Door.”

And of course he obeyed, it felt good to obey, why did he hate it so? To open and let him in, to help, o please, it hurt.

He knelt again.

“Charles.” Erik’s voice was hissing with suppressed want. “Dear Charles. Baby.”

Hands on his head, his torso, his arse, slick fingers on his rim. “Charles, look at you. So good for me.” Breath on his neck. “So open.”

He gushed impossibly more. “Sir. Erik - please. Hurts.”

“Shh,” he said, soft kisses near his ear, face nuzzling his neck. “Come, come with me, beautiful. Come with your alpha.”

And then he lifted him up and threw him over his shoulder, Charles’ white arse sticking out obscenely, he was sure, mooning everyone who cared to watch, because that’s what this was, triumph, an alpha laying claim by any natural law. Charles didn’t know how he could get harder, but the cold air on his bum made something tighten in his groin. He saw Magda’s face, and Raven, as through a haze. Not important, not they, not now.

Lehnsherr took him to his bedroom. And that was strange, because he slept there with his mate, whose smell Charles could now too perceive, soft and not unpleasant, but also not important, because Lehnsherr laid him down and kept him there.

“Second position, that’s it, there’s a good boy.” Charles loved to hear his breath quicken, the slightly gravelly sound. “That’s it, Charles, let’s get you laid out properly.”

He yanked at Charles’ shoes - not loafers this time - and slipped them off together with his socks. Trousers and pants now felt like nothing but restraints, hindering his movements. “Charlesss,” Erik hissed, big palms spreading his cheeks, sucking at his rim, “Charles.”

He seemed impossibly to be milking him for more, and Charles keened, hard cock dripping precum on the pristine sheets, his alpha all but wringing him out. “Please, sir,” he said, gasping, crying, as Lehnsherr’s tongue abused his hole. “O please, fuck. Sir please, fuck, fuck, o, please...”

Lehnsherr thrust in three of his fingers and held them under Charles nose. “In your mouth, love, that’s it, taste how much you need me.”

Jesus, he was going to pass out, his body pumping out so much slick that the scent made him lightheaded, his elbows and knees shaking. But he heard a buckle and a fly, and finally his muscles could clench around glorious fat head, pushing into him - hard, but it didn’t matter, his body wanted nothing than be filled, bred. And Lehnsherr pumped, pushed, though Charles couldn’t take it, too weary, too drained. It’s as if he knew, because in no time Lehnsherr fucked him down into the matress, his body covering him completely as Charlesmewled, bucked, and came with a pitiful cry. Lehnsherr made a high pitched noise and sighed, cock flooding him withsoft, soothing cum.

They lay together, soft and spread out. “Thanks, sir, thanks,” Charles whispered eventually. “I could never get home without this, Erik. Thanks.”

Erik stroked him. “Don’t move. Rest.” He turned to the door. “Magda!”

“Mmm fine,” Charles mumbled, but then looked up. “Sir- what are you doing?”

He wasn’t getting dressed, as such. He was taking off his jacket, pulling at his tie. “Lay down, love. Save your strength.”

“Sir, I need to go home - ”

He pushed him down. “You are home.”

He curled in on himself. “Erik. I can’t do this. I’m so sorry. I need to get home or -”

“You’ll go into heat in some damn taxicab, and get trailed by every alpha in a five mile radius. No, Charles.” 

He glanced to the door. “Raven -”

Lehnsherr clamped a hand over his mouth. “I don’t want to hurt your sister.”

He squeezed his eyes shut, tried to struggle free, out, but was too drained. Lehnsherr grinned, dipped between his legs, and showed him his finger. “What have we here?”

Cum, fresh slick, and the sight made him nauseous. He turned his head away.

“O, tut tut,” Lehnsherr said. “You were screaming for cock five minutes ago.” He smiled. “I’ll be good, my love.” He turned around once more. “Magda, now!”

Charles looked around, frantic, considering his options. He had to find a way out if it meant breaking all rules.

He looked for Erik’s crotch, aimed at his balls and -

Erik grabbed his throat. “Try that and I’ll break both your legs.” He pushed down. “I’ve done it.”

Charles spat at him as searing pain shot through his neck. “You’re a monster.”

“Boys.” That was Magda. “O, my boys.” She walked towards them. “Erik, Schatz, you’re scaring him.”

“He’s not going!” Erik spat.

She smiled. “Of course not. Charles isn’t thick.”

Charles looked at her. “Magda, no, I’ve told you. Please, I can’t. I’ve told you.”

She put a hand on his neck, next to Lehnsherr’s. “Do you feel that?” she whispered, soft and husky, in his ear. “If you leave, it’ll burst, and we can’t let that happen.”

“Magda, I’m fine,” he said. “Ask Raven, I’m fine...”

“I can smell you out here.” Raven stood in the doorframe. She swallowed. “Charles. They’re right.”

He teared up. “Rescue team - ”

“Too late.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry.” She looked at Lehnsherr, then at Magda, her eyes glistening with tears. “Take care of him.”

Lehnsherr nodded.

Then she looked specifically at Erik.

“Hurt him and I’ll have you killed.”

He smirked. “I know.” 

“What..?” Charles blinked. “No! Help me! Raven!”

She swallowed, clenched her fists, looked away. “Charles - be good now.”

And then Magda kissed him, his second kiss ever, as she pulled Lehnsherr’s hand away. Charlestasted nothing but the salt of his tears.

How could they. All of them. How could they.

But his body, that traiterous slut, gasped into her mouth, and she pulled back. “That’s it, Charles, there you go.”

She said something in German, which he couldn’t make out, and he hated her for it. But then Lehnsherr laughed, put a hand to his face, and slowly, languidly, started kissing again. He felt his body shake, moving up with Erik’s tongue.

It was spectacular.

It shouldn’t be, but the feel of Lehnsherr’s mouth on his, he loved it, more than anything. Filled him with something he hadn’t known he’d missed. He heard Magda go out, and in, as he kissed back; heard the lapping of water, saw steam, and that smell -

O, no, they fucking wouldn’t.

But they would.

Rose oil.

O, and wasn’t it all picture perfect - Magda putting the water by their bedside, walking over to her mate, and, with a nod from him, kneeling behind Charles to pull his head into her lap. “Sh, Charles, it’ll be alright,” yes, that too was straight out of an after school special. He hoped Raven had gone, because he’d hate to have her watch as all the cliches were confirmed - the contact really did calm him, and allowed him to be prepped - jacket off, tie, shirts, as she kept stroking him, kissing, saying sweet nothings in his hair.

But he couldn’t stop crying.

Instinct or no, part of him knew he’d fought and lost, lost, lost, like they’d said he would, like he’d feared he would. And he couldn’t not care, sublimate it into obedience, complacency - not even now, at the sight of Lehnsherr, completely naked, cock full and hard, washing himself with slow strokes, sighing, before turning to him and doing the same - stroking his cock and removing the last bits of cum from his hole, making him smell of nothing but roses and slick. Erik was gearing up again, pupils dilated, and Charles’ body was tightening in response, both cock and hole leaking.

Lehnsherr put a hand on his tigh. “Open your legs, love.”

Charles grasped Magda’s hands as he did, chest heaving, sobbing still. “You’re doing so well for him sweetheart,” she said, “such a good boy. Look how well it fits, look how strong he is for you, darling.”

Charles heard a door slam.

Raven.

The sound unlocked something in Lehnsherr. He absolutely went to town, quick sharp thrusts, muscles clenching, burrying himself deeper into Charles’ flesh - power and abandon and mindless sex, and it might have been good at another time, possibly near estatic, but Charles’s body had little more to give him in response. He thought, with a cold, dark dread, about the many images of ‘seconds’, the omegas who couldn’t get themselves wed as first mate, because this was how they’d looked: fucked out and helpless, taken for all they had and then some. Even if Magda helped him through the worst of it, he felt himself dissolve, and when she went over to Erik and kissed him while he pounded into Charles, felt like he might never laugh again. Though they both immediately turned back to him - praising, stroking, Magda jerking him off lovingly, somehow - still he cried, stinging eyes all but swollen shut. It was no use, of course - Lehnsherr came with a yell, and Charles’ body did what it had been bred for, milking his knot for every drop.

Magda smiled. “You’ve done so well, Charles,” she said, wiping his forehead and kissing his brow. “So well.” Then she kissed Lehnsherr, long and deep, before walking backwards, out of sight.

This was it.

Lehnsherr collapsed on top of him. “My love,” he said, eventually. “My darling.” He took him in his arms, mouth ghosting over the gland in his neck, as their bodies kept shocking themselves closer together. “My Charles.”

Charles bowed his head. There was nothing to say.

Lehnsherr bit.

 

 

 

 


End file.
